Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction for prehypertension.
Joel W Hughes, David M. Fresco, Rodney Myerscough, Manfred H M Van Dulmen, Linda E. Carlson, Richard Josephson
Psychosomatic Medicine October 1, 2013 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0b013e3182a3e4e5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 56 |
| Population | Men (43%) and women (57%) averaging 50.3 years of age (SD 6.5), 91% white, with unmedicated blood pressure in the prehypertensive range (SBP 120-139 mm Hg or DBP 80-89 mm Hg) |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) |
| Duration | 8 weeks of treatment; weekly sessions lasting approximately 2.5 hours |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Analysis of variance Linear models Stress, psychological Blood pressure Adult Middle aged Patient dropouts Female Relaxation therapy Prehypertension Clinical trial |
| Registration | NCT00440596 |
| Key findings | MBSR produced a 4.8 mm Hg reduction in clinic systolic blood pressure versus 0.7 mm Hg for progressive muscle relaxation, and a 1.9 mm Hg reduction in diastolic pressure versus a 1.2 mm Hg increase for PMR. MBSR did not yield larger reductions in ambulatory blood pressure than PMR. |
Abstract
Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an increasingly popular practice demonstrated to alleviate stress and treat certain health conditions. MBSR may reduce elevated blood pressure (BP). Treatment guidelines recommend life-style modifications for BP in the prehypertensive range (systolic BP [SBP] 120-139 mm Hg or diastolic BP [DBP] 80-89 mm Hg), followed by antihypertensives if BP reaches hypertensive levels. MBSR has not been thoroughly evaluated as a treatment of prehypertension. A randomized clinical trial of MBSR for high BP was conducted to determine whether BP reductions associated with MBSR exceed those observed for an active control condition consisting of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) training.
Methods: Fifty-six men (43%) and women (57%) averaging (standard deviation) 50.3 (6.5) years of age (91% white) with unmedicated BP in the prehypertensive range were randomized to 8 weeks of MBSR or PMR delivered in a group format. Treatment sessions were administered by one treatment provider and lasted approximately 2.5 hours each week. Clinic BP was the primary outcome measure. Ambulatory BP was a secondary outcome measure.
Results: Analyses were based on intent to treat. Patients randomized to MBSR exhibited a 4.8-mm Hg reduction in clinic SBP, which was larger than the 0.7-mm Hg reduction observed for PMR (p = .016). Those randomized to MBSR exhibited a 1.9-mm Hg reduction in DBP compared with a 1.2-mm Hg increase for PMR (p = .008). MBSR did not result in larger decreases in ambulatory BP than in PMR.
Conclusions: MBSR resulted in a reduction in clinic SBP and DBP compared with PMR.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00440596.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 49
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
- Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP): Stage 1 single-arm clinical trial PLoS One November 27, 2019
- Effectiveness of the Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction Program on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review of Literature Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing August 19, 2018
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical and Psychological Wellbeing in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Brain Sciences May 29, 2021
- Susceptibility of Women to Cardiovascular Disease and the Prevention Potential of Mind–Body Intervention by Changes in Neural Circuits and Cardiovascular Physiology Biomolecules May 10, 2021
and 44 more in the library
Cites 3
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- A randomized controlled trial of stress reduction in African Americans treated for hypertension for over one year. American Journal of Hypertension January 2005
- An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: theoretical considerations and preliminary results. General Hospital Psychiatry April 1, 1982