| Publication Type | Journal Article | |
| Year of Publication | 2009 | |
| Authors | Nidich, Sanford I.; Rainforth, Maxwell V.; Haaga, David A. F.; Hagelin, John; Salerno, John W; Travis, Fred; Tanner, Melissa; Gaylord-King, Carolyn; Grosswald, Sarina; Schneider, Robert H. | |
| Journal Title | American journal of hypertension | |
| Volume | 22 | |
| Pages | 1326-1331 | |
| Journal Date | 12/2009 | |
| ISSN Number | 1879-1905 | |
| Abstract | Background: Psychological distress contributes to the development of hypertension in young adults. This trial assessed the effects of a mind-body intervention on blood pressure (BP), psychological distress, and coping in college students.
Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 298 university students randomly allocated to either the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program or wait-list control. At baseline and after 3 months, BP, psychological distress, and coping ability were assessed. A subgroup of 159 subjects at risk for hypertension was analyzed similarly. Results: Changes in systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP (DBP) for the overall sample were -2.0/-1.2 mm Hg for the TM group compared to +0.4/+0.5 mm Hg for controls (P = 0.15, P = 0.15, respectively). Changes in SBP/DBP for the hypertension risk subgroup were -5.0/-2.8 mm Hg for the TM group compared to +1.3/+1.2 mm Hg for controls (P = 0.014, P = 0.028, respectively). Significant improvements were found in total psychological distress, anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, and coping (P values < 0.05). Changes in psychological distress and coping correlated with changes in SBP (P values < 0.05) and DBP (P values < 0.08). Conclusions: This is the first RCT to demonstrate that a selected mind-body intervention, the TM program, decreased BP in association with decreased psychological distress, and increased coping in young adults at risk for hypertension. This mind-body program may reduce the risk for future development of hypertension in young adults | |
| Notes | In the media: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/09/Try-Medita... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/19/AR200912... http://www.montereyherald.com/health/ci_13872722?source=rss&nclick_check... http://esciencenews.com/forward/emailref/229038 http://living.health.com/2009/11/20/transcendental-meditation/ http://www.nationalpost.com/story-printer.html?id=2240802 http://www.canada.com/health/Stressed+with+papers+exams+Just/2241910/sto... http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/can-meditation-curb-heart-attac... http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1788398/atrisk_college_students_redu... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5AH5CU20091118?feedType... http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=9119322 http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2009/11/18/try-... http://www.newswise.com/articles/at-risk-college-students-reduce-hbp-anx... http://www.news-medical.net/news/20091118/Transcendental-Meditation-may-... http://wamu.org/news/09/11/23.php#30348 | |
| URL | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19798037 | |
| DOI | 10.1038/ajh.2009.184 |
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