Limitations of transcendental meditation in the treatment of essential hypertension


Author: Pollack AA//Case DB//Weber MA//Laragh JH


Conference/Journal: Lancet
Date published: 1977
Other:
 Volume ID: 8   ,  Issue ID: 1   ,  Pages: 71-3   ,  Word Count: 95  
    20 hypertensive patients participating in a professionally supervised programme of transcendental meditation showed no significant change in blood-pressure after a 6-month study. Although there were small reductions in systolic blood-pressure and in pulse-rate early in the trial, these changes had disappeared by 6 months. At no time did the mean diastolic pressure fall significantly. Plasma-renin activity did not change during the study. It is concluded that while the general feeling of wellbeing experienced by most patients may provide a useful adjunct to conventional treatments, it is unlikely that transcendental meditation contributes directly towards the lowering of blood-pressure.