Robust statistically significant effects were found for improved diet , aerobic exercise , alcohol and sodium restriction , and fish oil supplements : mean reductions in systolic blood pressure of 5.0 mmHg [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : 3.1 - 7.0 ] , 4.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.0 - 7.1 ) , 3.8 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 1.4 - 6.1 ) , 3.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.5 - 4.6 ) and 2.3 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 0.2 - 4.3 ) , respectively , with corresponding reductions in diastolic blood pressure .
Relaxation significantly reduced blood pressure only when compared with non-intervention controls .
We found no robust evidence of any important effect on blood pressure of potassium , magnesium or calcium supplements .
Available evidence does not support relaxation therapies , calcium , magnesium or potassium supplements to reduce blood pressure
PURPOSE To quantify effectiveness of lifestyle interventions for hypertension .
Treating hypertension with a device that slows and regularises breathing: a randomised, double-blind controlled study
Objective : To examine the efficacy of a new device , which slows and regularises breathing , as a non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension and thus to evaluate the contribution of breathing modulation in the blood pressure ( BP ) reduction . Design and setting : R and omised , double-blind controlled study , carried out in three urban family practice clinics in Israel . Patients : Sixty-five male and female hypertensives , either receiving antihypertensive drug therapy or unmedicated . Four patients dropped out at the beginning of the study .Intervention : Self treatment at home , 10 minutes daily for 8 consecutive weeks , using either the device ( n = 32 ) , which guides the user towards slow and regular breathing using musical sound patterns , or a Walkman , with which patients listened to quiet music ( n = 29 ) . Medication was unchanged 2 months prior to and during the study period . Main outcome measures : Systolic BP , diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure ( MAP ) changes from baseline . Results : BP reduction in the device group was significantly greater than a predetermined ‘ clinical ly meaningful threshold ’ of 10.0 , 5.0 and 6.7 mm Hg for the systolic BP , diastolic BP and MAP respectively ( P = 0.035 , P = 0.0002 and P = 0.001 ) . Treatment with the device reduced systolic BP , diastolic BP and MAP by 15.2 , 10.0 and 11.7 mm Hg respectively , as compared to 11.3 , 5.6 and 7.5 mm Hg ( P = 0.14 , P = 0.008 , P = 0.03 ) with the Walkman . Six months after treatment had stopped , diastolic BP reduction in the device group remained greater than the ‘ threshold ’ ( P < 0.02 ) and also greater than in the walkman group ( P = 0.001 ) . Conclusions : The device was found to be efficacious in reducing high BP during 2 months of self-treatment by patients at home . Breathing pattern modification appears to be an important component in this reduction
Robust statistically significant effects were found for improved diet , aerobic exercise , alcohol and sodium restriction , and fish oil supplements : mean reductions in systolic blood pressure of 5.0 mmHg [ 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : 3.1 - 7.0 ] , 4.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.0 - 7.1 ) , 3.8 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 1.4 - 6.1 ) , 3.6 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 2.5 - 4.6 ) and 2.3 mmHg ( 95 % CI : 0.2 - 4.3 ) , respectively , with corresponding reductions in diastolic blood pressure .
Relaxation significantly reduced blood pressure only when compared with non-intervention controls .
We found no robust evidence of any important effect on blood pressure of potassium , magnesium or calcium supplements .
Available evidence does not support relaxation therapies , calcium , magnesium or potassium supplements to reduce blood pressure
PURPOSE To quantify effectiveness of lifestyle interventions for hypertension .