Acute Effects of T'ai Chi Chuan Exercise on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Peripheral Artery Disease Patients.

Objective: To investigate the acute effect of a t'ai chi chuan session on blood pressure and heart rate in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Design: Randomized crossover intervention study.

Setting: Outpatient therapy center.

Participants: Seven patients with PAD, aged 50-79 years, not using β-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, or nondihidropiridinic vasodilators.

Intervention: T'ai chi chuan and control session (both sessions lasted 40 minutes).

Outcome Measures: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, which were evaluated before and after the intervention (10, 30, and 50 minutes).

Results: T'ai chi chuan exercise acutely decreased systolic blood pressure at 30 minutes after exercise (p = 0.042) and increased diastolic blood pressure at 50 minutes after exercise (p = 0.041). Heart rate did not change after t'ai chi chuan exercise.

Conclusion: T'ai chi chuan acutely decreases systolic blood pressure in patients with PAD.