The Effect of Yoga on Cardiac Sympathetic Innervation Evaluated by I-123 mIBG
Heart Failure, Systolic
About this trial
This is an interventional supportive care trial for Heart Failure, Systolic focused on measuring Heart Failure, Systolic, Defibrillators, Implantable, Pacemaker, Artificial
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Negative pregnancy test in females
- Ejection Fraction </= 40% assessed by echocardiogram within the last 12 months
- Stable dose of heart failure medications including afterload reducing medication such as ACE-I, ARB and hydralazine; beta blockers; digoxin and aldosterone antagonist for at least 4 months and no anticipated changes for 8 weeks. (i.e. no greater than a 50% dose change within the past month)
- Has an implantable pacemaker or ICD
- NYHA II-IV
Exclusion Criteria:
- pregnant or lactating female
- females without a pregnancy test
- co-administration of a positive inotrope (i.e. milrinone or dobutamine)
- history of significant medical non-compliance
- unwilling to adhere to the protocol
- Orthopedic limitation making yoga participation difficult
- Underlying cardiac rhythm other than sinus rhythm
- Recent history within 6 months prior to enrollment of unstable coronary artery disease (unstable angina, recent heart attack, recent revascularization, or decompensated heart failure)
- implantation of a cardiac resynchronization therapy device in the past 3 months.
- TIA, CVA, or major surgery in the past 3 months
- iodine or adreview (123-MIBG) allergy
Sites / Locations
- University of Cincinnati Medical Center
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
No Intervention
Experimental
No yoga training
Yoga training
This will be the control arm. The patients in this arm will not receive any yoga training. They will be continued on all their home, guideline-directed heart failure medications. They will undergo the same baseline and study completion evaluation as the treatment arm, including an I-123 MIBG scan, 24-hour holter monitoring and device interrogation.
The patients in this arm will receive yoga training. This includes weekly group yoga sessions consisting of breathing exercises, yoga poses, and relaxation and meditation lasting for about 80-90 minutes total. Patients will be asked to do home yoga practices at least twice a week and to document the date and time. Patients in this arm will have the same baseline and study completion evaluation as the control arm, including an I-123 MIBG scan, 24-hour holter monitoring and device interrogation.