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Nonpharmacologic Intervention for Hypertension

1989; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 9; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/00008483-198908000-00003

1539-0691

Jane Leserman, Eileen M. Stuart, Mary E. Mamish, John P. Deckro, Rita J. Beckman, Richard A. Friedman, Herbert Benson,

Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions

We previously reported reduced blood pressure, psychological symptoms, and other cardiac risk factors in hypertensive patients who participated in a nonpharmacologic, outpatient behavioral program. The present study is a 3 to 5 year follow-up of 59 (60%) of the same patients (who served as their own controls) to assess continued efficacy of the program. At entry into the study, patients had hypertension for a median of 6 years. Therefore, it is unlikely that placebo effect could explain our results. The intervention included training in: elicitation of the relaxation response, nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Comparing measurements taken at the program beginning (pre), end (post) and 3–5 years later (follow-up) showed: (1) reduced systolic blood pressure from pre to follow-up (148–142 mmHg, P < 0.01), with no change from post to follow-up; (2) reduced diastolic blood pressure from pre to follow-up (94–87 mmHg, P < 0.01), with no change from post to follow-up; (3) reduced anxiety, depression and total psychological symptoms on the SCL-90 from pre to follow-up (P < 0.01), with no change from post to follow-up; and (4) increased weight gain from post to follow-up (P < 0.01). Analysis of a subset of patients that could be classified as “never receiving”, “reduced”, or “no change” in medication (N = 24), showed the same reduced blood pressure results. Increased medication use did not account for the long-term efficacy of the intervention.