MedWire News: People with high blood pressure may benefit from taking a course in transcendental meditation, results of a review indicate.
"The magnitude of the changes in blood pressure with the transcendental meditation technique are at least as great as the changes found with major changes in diet or exercise that doctors often recommend," said lead researcher Dr James Anderson, from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, USA.
Dr Anderson and his team reviewed the results of 107 published studies that examined the effects of various stress reduction techniques on blood pressure levels.
In total, 23 of these studies were of sufficiently high quality to be included in the final analysis.
The researchers found that transcendental meditation was the only stress reduction technique associated with a decrease in blood pressure levels. Indeed, participants assigned to transcendental meditation experienced average long-term falls in their systolic blood pressure of 5.0 points and 2.8 points in their diastolic blood pressure.
Dr Anderson said that long-term changes in blood pressure of this magnitude are associated with at least a 15% reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
"This is important to everyone because cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the US and worldwide," he said.
Relaxation, biofeedback, stress management and other forms of meditation had no significant long-term effects on blood pressure levels.
The researchers say that many patients at risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) may be able to avoid taking blood pressure-lowering medications by learning to perform transcendental meditation.
Furthermore, "individuals with more severe forms of hypertension may be able to reduce the number or dosages of their blood pressure medications under the guidance of their doctor", added Dr Anderson.
Commenting on the findings, co-researcher Dr Robert Schneider, from the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention in Fairfield, Iowa, USA, concluded: "For those 100 million Americans with elevated blood pressure, here is a scientifically documented, yet simple and easy way to lower blood pressure without drugs and harmful side effects.
"In addition, related studies show an integrated set of positive 'side benefits,' such as reduced stress, reduced heart disease levels and longer lifespan with this technique to restore balance in the cardiovascular system, mind and body."
The research will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Current Hypertension Reports.