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Transendental Meditation in blood pressure control

JR

Researchers from Maharishi University of Management Research Institute, in Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa report.

First, the details.

  • 298 university students were randomly assigned to a treatment group.
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Wait-list control
  • After 3 months, changes in systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), psychological distress, and coping ability were assessed.
  • The risk for high blood pressure was analyzed in a subgroup of 159 people.

And, the results.

  • Changes in SBP/DBP were not significantly different.
  • Changes in SBP/DBP for the group at risk for high blood pressure were not significantly different.
  • Significant improvements were found in total psychological distress, anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, and coping.
  • Changes in psychological distress and coping correlated significantly with changes in SBP and DBP.

The bottom line?

The authors concluded there was decreased blood pressure in association with decreased psychological distress, and increased coping in young adults at risk for hypertension.

OK. But is it significant when the factor — TM — that drives the change in blood pressure, results in a nonsignificant change in blood pressure?

1/26/10 13:10 JR

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

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