INFLUENCE OF BIOFEEDBACK SESSIONS IN CLOSED LOOP OF PACED BREATHING AND HEART RATE VARIABILITY PARAMETERS ON LIFE QUALITY OF PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Summary. In 50 patients (25 men and 25 women, mean age ? 69,2 ± 12,58 years) with arterial hypertension (AH) influence of biofeedback (BFB) sessions in closed loop of paced breathing (PB) and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters on life quality was studied. All patients were divided into two comparable groups: 1st ? 25 patients, where carried out the standard drug therapy, 2nd ? 25 patients, where similar treatment was supplemented by 10-day BFB sessions in researched loop with subsequent rhythmic breathing exercises at outpatient stage. Life quality was assessed by questioning of patients before and one month after treatment with the SF-36 questionnaire. The data was processed by parametric and nonparametric statistics. It was found that the systematic BFB sessions in closed loop of PB and HRV significantly improves the life quality of patients with arterial hypertension that allow us to recommend this technique in clinical practice.