Effectiveness of Qigong Exercise in Elderly Blood Pressure

Hypertension is a non-communicable disease that can increase the high morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Qigong exercise is one of the non-pharmacological management of hypertension because it can improve the function of the cardiovascular system and provide a relaxing effect. This study aims to describe the changes in blood pressure in hypertensive elderly who perform Qigong exercises. The research employed descriptive design with a case study approach. The research subjects were 15 elderly with hypertension. The data collecting technique used were observation, interviews and documentation. The results showed that before performing qigong exercise, 9 elderly (60%) had stage 1 hypertension and 6 elderly (40%) had stage 2 hypertension. The result also showed that the blood pressure was decreased after performing qigong exercise. There were 5 elderly (33.33%) who were in prehypertension category, 9 elderly (60%) were in hypertensive stage 1 and 1 elderly (6.67%) remained at stage 2 hypertension. Elderly who suffers from hypertension are expected to perform Qigong exercises regularly because it can decrease blood pressure.