A randomized controlled trial of meditation and health education on carotid intima-media thickness and major adverse cardiovascular events in Black men and women
Frontiers in Medicine March 19, 2025 Keith C. Norris, John Salerno, C. Noel Bairey Merz et al.
In a randomized clinical trial, Black adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or at high risk were assigned to either Transcendental Meditation (TM) or health education (HE). After one year, both groups showed similar small changes in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), with no significant difference between them, and no significant differences in blood pressure or lipids. Both groups showed prevention of cIMT progression compared to historical controls. Over a maximum of five years of follow-up, the TM group had a 65% relative risk reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to the HE group (hazard ratio 0.346). The authors suggest TM may be useful for secondary prevention of CVD in high-risk groups.