OPTIMIZING AN EIGHT WEEK QIGONG EXERCISE AS ENERGY MEDICINE FOR HYPERTENSIVE OUT-PATIENTS OF IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION HEALTH CENTRE, PORT HARCOURT.

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of an optimized 8-week qigong exercise as an energy medicine for the management of hypertension among hypertensive outpatients in the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Health Centre Port Harcourt,Nigeria. This study adopted a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design. Study participants were ten hypertensive outpatients who where subjected to the qigong exercise session for 8 weeks. The main test instrument were sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope, both with an Interclass Coefficient (ICC) of 0.61-0.92 and 0.64-0.87 respectively. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 25 and GraphPad Prism statistical software; inferential statistics was subjected to students paired t-test using conventional criteria - p<.05. Findings from the study showed a statistically significant difference in the resting Diastolic Blood Pressure (rDBP) and resting Systolic Blood Pressure (rSBP) (p<.05) on comparing the pre-test and post-test results for both rDBP and rSBP. At the end of the study, there was a 9.7% reduction in mean rDBP and 11.8% reduction in mean rSBP. These findings confirm that an optimized qigong energy exercise prescribed to hypertensive outpatients is an effective approach to management of hypertension especially compared to doing nothing. Thus, physicians and other important stakeholders in medicine on their discretion, should consider qigong exercise as a complementary and alternative approach to the management of hypertension