Psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease Part 2: effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in treatment and prevention.

This review article argues that the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, a natural medicine approach, can reduce psychosocial and traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The authors report that randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and other controlled studies indicate the technique reduces blood pressure, carotid artery intima-media thickness, myocardial ischemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, and mortality. They contend that the magnitude of these effects compares favorably with conventional secondary prevention interventions. The paper suggests that TM may be a viable behavioral intervention for CVD, though it does not provide specific effect sizes or sample sizes.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Psychosocial stress is a nontraditional risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality that may respond to behavioral or psychosocial interventions. To date, studies applying such interventions have reported a wide range of success rates in treatment or prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The authors focus on a natural medicine approach that research indicates reduces both psychosocial and traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease-the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program. Randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and other controlled studies indicate this meditation technique reduces risk factors and can slow or reverse the progression of pathophysiological changes underlying cardiovascular disease. Studies with this technique have revealed reductions in blood pressure, carotid artery intima-media thickness, myocardial ischemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, mortality, and other relevant outcomes. The magnitudes of these effects compare favorably with those of conventional interventions for secondary prevention.