THE INFLUENCE OF BIOFEEDBACK SESSIONS IN CLOSED LOOP OF HEART RATE VARIABILITY AND PACED BREATHING ON SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL DURING STANDARD DRUG THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Changes of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in biofeedback (BFB) sessions with closed loop of paced breathing (PB) and heart rate variability (HRV) during standard drug therapy of arterial hypertension (AH) was studied. 275 patients with 1-3 degree of AH (143 men and 132 women, mean age 58,55 ± 7,99 years) was divided into two comparable groups: 1 - BFB (139 patients) in investigated PB loop, 2 - control group (136 patients) with BFB without PB. In both groups was performed 10 sessions of BFB. Changes of SBP depending on the stage and degree of AH, gender and age was assessed. BP was measured by the method of Korotkov’s with monometer Microlife BP AG1-20 in same conditions. Data were processed by parametric and nonparametric statistics. It is proved that the use of biofeedback in the loop of PB and HRV significantly (p < 0.01) exceeds in efficiency an isolated drug therapy in control of SBP at any stage and degree of AH in patients of both sexes in all age groups. Extent of the effect increases with the stage and degree of the disease and not related to the sex and age of the patient. Findings allow to recommend this technique in clinical practice.