Long-term effects of stress reduction on mortality in persons > or = 55 years of age with systemic hypertension.
The American journal of cardiology May 1, 2005 Robert H Schneider, Charles N Alexander, Frank Staggers et al.
Older adults with high blood pressure who practiced the Transcendental Meditation program had a 23% lower risk of death from any cause over up to 18.8 years compared with those who received other behavioral interventions or usual care. The analysis pooled data from two randomized controlled trials involving 202 participants (77 white, mean age 81; 125 African-American, mean age 66). The TM group also showed a 30% reduction in cardiovascular mortality, while a 49% reduction in cancer mortality was not statistically significant. Results suggest that this specific stress-reduction technique may lower mortality risk in older hypertensive patients.