Take a Deep Breath - Using Breathing Exercises to Treat Heart Failure Patients

BOSTON, Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 15th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) will include a session entitled "Take a Deep Breath."   Patricia A. Uber, PharmD, Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, one of the presenters in this session, will focus on the importance of adequate assessment and active synchronized control of breathing for heart failure patients in her talk, "Should We Teach Patients to Breathe?"

Dr. Uber will discuss the connection between controlled breathing, the autonomic nervous system and neurohormonal control in heart failure patients.  Controlled breathing has been shown to exhibit positive effects on blood pressure and mechanics of the thoracic cage that can improve the overall wellbeing of heart failure patients.

"There are a lot of interesting things you can do with breathing," said Dr. Uber, "Physicians can teach patients how to synchronize their breath properly and this requires little practice for 15 minutes a day. These exercises can improve the outcome for heart failure patients, and let's not forget this is an easily available, cost-effective therapy that can really benefit their health."

Controlled breathing also has other health benefits. In addition to improving heart failure conditions in patients, it can also decrease mind chatter and help patients create a mind and body connection so they can relax and focus.

For a complete list of annual meeting sessions or for details on attending the conference, call (617) 226-7183 or visit www.hfsa.org and click on Annual Scientific Meeting. There is no registration fee for accredited journalists. Interview areas will be available on-site in addition to a fully-staffed press room with phone and internet accessibility. You may follow news from the meeting on Twitter #HFSA.

About Heart Failure

Heart failure is a progressive condition in which the heart muscle becomes weakened after it is injured, most commonly from heart attack or high blood pressure, and gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood to supply the body's needs. Many people are not aware they have heart failure because the symptoms are often mistaken for signs of getting older. Heart failure affects 4.6 to 4.8 million individuals in the United States. Demographic and clinical evidence strongly suggests that the prevalence of heart failure will increase throughout the next decade. Ten to 15 years ago heart failure was considered a "death sentence;" however, recent advances in treatment have shown that early diagnosis and proper care in early stages of the condition are key to slowing, stopping or in some cases reversing progression, improving quality of life, and extending life expectancy. For more information on heart failure, please visit www.abouthf.org.

About the Heart Failure Society of America

The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) is a nonprofit educational organization, founded in 1994 as the first organized association of heart failure experts. The HFSA provides a forum for all those interested in heart function, heart failure research and patient care. The Society also serves as a resource for governmental agencies (FDA, NIH, NHLBI, CMS). The HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting is designed to highlight recent advances in the development of strategies to address the complex epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic issues of heart failure. Additional information on HFSA can be found at www.hfsa.org.

SOURCE The Heart Failure Society of America

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