Expert Opinion: Meditation and Cardiovascular Health: What is the Link?
Sebastian Schnaubelt, Andreas Hammer, Lorenz Koller, Jan Niederdoeckl, Niema Kazem, Alexander Spiel, Alexander Niessner, Patrick Sulzgruber
European cardiology December 18, 2019 DOI: 10.15420/ecr.2019.21.2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Atherosclerosis Tobacco Blood pressure Health Cardiovascular |
| Key findings | The authors conclude that evidence linking meditation to measurable reductions in cardiovascular disease risk is scarce and inconclusive, and that the available data cannot establish directly reproducible effects on patients' cardiovascular profiles. They suggest meditation be considered only an additional element of primary and secondary prevention until further research provides sufficient data. |
Abstract
Meditation as a form of body-mind interaction for primary and secondary prevention in cardiovascular disease has been discussed critically in the past. However, data that aimed to link this intervention to a reduction of various aspects of cardiovascular disease, rendering it a potential part of a cost-effective treatment approach in patients at risk, remain scarce and inconclusive. This article aims to provide an overview of currently available evidence in the literature and the potential impact of meditation on cardiovascular health. However, the data highlighted in this article cannot render with certainty directly reproducible effects of meditation on patients' cardiovascular disease profiles. Meditation may be suggested only as an additional link in the chain of primary and secondary prevention until future research provides sufficient data on this topic.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness in the Treatment of Methamphetamine Addiction Symptoms: Does Neuroplasticity Play a Role? Brain Sciences March 27, 2024
- The promising role of Transcendental Meditation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases: A systematic review Obesity Reviews July 28, 2024
- The heart-brain axis: A proteomics study of meditation on the cardiovascular system of Tibetan Monks EBioMedicine May 13, 2022
Cites 34
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- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine September 1, 2000
- Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances JAMA Internal Medicine February 16, 2015
- Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Psychoneuroendocrinology June 1, 2011
and 29 more in the library