Transcendental meditation on blood pressure in hypertensive patients as an alternative/adjuvant to pharmacotherapy

Date
2021
DOI
Authors
Desai, Neil Himansu
Version
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
The most important modifiable risk factor in reducing all-cause morbidity and mortality is systemic arterial hypertension. Elevated blood pressures are associated with greater risks of cardiac disease. Less than half of the population with hypertension are aware of their diagnosis and those who are aware are not always adequately treated. Proper management of hypertension has the potential to reduce the global burden of disease and mortality. Hypertension affects multiple systems of the body and can increase risk of cardiac disease, kidney disease, stroke, and retinopathy. The main treatment of hypertension currently falls into two main categories: lifestyle modifications (weight loss, reduced salt intake, modified diets, and an increase in physical activity) and the use of pharmacologic agents. Anti-hypertensive medications are very effective in lowering BP and preventing CVD. Unfortunately, HTN often goes untreated as there are many parts of the developing world that do not have adequate access or utilization of these therapies. Without prevention of the sequelae of untreated HTN, health care costs can rise dramatically. A good example of this is in the United States where the estimated adjusted annual incremental cost is $131 billion per year higher for the adult hypertensive population compared to the nonhypertensive population. For these reasons it is important to consider complementary therapies that are easily available to help to treat this complex disease. Transcendental meditation is one of the therapies that has been shown to be beneficial in lowering blood pressure. Transcendental meditation is a widely used technique of mindfulness for reducing psychological distress. It has shown significant reductions in blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and improved coping ability. Many of the studies on transcendental meditation and blood pressure have noted difficulties in obtaining unbiased data due to the funding of the study or researcher skepticism or enthusiasm about the transcendental meditation technique. The primary outcome to be assessed in this study is to evaluate the impact of a twice daily 20-minute transcendental meditation practice on blood pressure measurements. The secondary outcomes to be assessed are to determine if transcendental improves mood, anxiety, and/or depression.
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