Abstract WE550: Impact of the Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP) Program on Cardiovascular Health: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Fan Wu, LaPrincess Brewer, Vinicius Vieira Neves, Matthew Scarpaci, Jeffrey Proulx, Eric Loucks
Circulation March 24, 2026 DOI: 10.1161/cir.153.suppl_1.we550 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Secondary analysis of a parallel-group, phase 2 randomized clinical trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 201 |
| Population | Adults with elevated office blood pressure (≥120/80 mmHg) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP) |
| Duration | 8-week program with 6-month follow-up |
| Measures | Life's Essential 8 composite score, systolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), DASH adherence, physical activity, smoking, sleep duration |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Registration | NCT03256890 NCT03859076 |
| Key findings | MB-BP produced modest improvements in composite cardiovascular health at six months compared with enhanced usual care (standardized mean difference 0.144; 95% CI 0.023, 0.266). Most individual Life's Essential 8 components moved in healthier directions at trend levels, with the strongest signals for physical activity, sleep duration, systolic blood pressure, and DASH diet score, though confidence intervals for these components included zero. The authors suggest MB-BP may be an effective behavioral intervention to support cardiovascular health. |
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness-based interventions may improve cardiovascular health (CVH) by supporting behavioral change across multiple risk factors. This study evaluated the impact of Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP), a mindfulness program targeting hypertension-related behaviors ( Image 1 ), on CVH using the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 framework.
Methods: This secondary analysis of parallel-group, phase 2 randomized clinical trial evaluated the effects of MB-BP on CVH in 201 participants with elevated office BP (≥120/80 mmHg). The MB-BP group (n=101) received an 8-week program focused on mindfulness training and education targeting diet, physical activity, medication adherence, alcohol use, and stress, whereas the control group (n=100) received enhanced usual care ( Image 2 ). CVH was assessed using available Life’s Essential 8 components: systolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), diet (DASH adherence), physical activity, smoking, and sleep duration. Generalized estimating equations evaluated intervention effects through six months.
Results: At six months follow-up, MB-BP participants significantly improved composite CVH scores compared to controls (standardized mean difference: 0.144; 95% CI: 0.023, 0.266) ( Image 3 ). MB-BP influenced most CVH components in healthier directions at trend levels, with the strongest responses for physical activity (47.9 MET min/week; 95% CI: -16.5, 112.3), sleep (0.34 hours/night; 95% CI: -0.10, 0.78), systolic blood pressure (-4.95 mmHg; 95% CI: -10.34, 0.44) and DASH diet score (0.27, 95% CI: -0.15, 0.69).
Conclusions: MB-BP led to modest but clinically significant improvements in CVH, driven by multiple Life’s Essential 8 components. These findings suggest that MB-BP may be an effective behavioral intervention to support CVH and reduce risk for cardiovascular disease. ClinicalTrials.gov Preregistration Identifiers: NCT03256890, NCT03859076