Cognitive Therapy for Hypertension
Authors: Herbert Benson
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1994)

Letters1 January 1994Cognitive Therapy for HypertensionHerbert Benson, MD, Eileen Stuart, RNC, MS, and Richard Friedman, PhDHerbert Benson, MDDeaconess Hospital; Boston MA 02215State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794Search for more papers by this author, Eileen Stuart, RNC, MSDeaconess Hospital; Boston MA 02215State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794Search for more papers by this author, and Richard Friedman, PhDDeaconess Hospital; Boston MA 02215State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-120-1-199401010-00026 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Eisenberg and colleagues [1] concluded that cognitive techniques for treating essential hypertension were not superior to credible sham techniques or to self-monitoring and, when used alone, were not nearly as effective as pharmacotherapy.To hypothesize that cognitive techniques alone should be effective in treating essential hypertension is setting up a “straw man”; because the cause of essential hypertension is multifactorial, one cannot assume a homogeneity of response. Genetic predisposition, sodium intake, obesity, ethanol intake, exercise habits, stress, and cognitive factors may all contribute. One would not hypothesize that all patients with hypertension can be effectively treated with ...References1. Eisenberg DM, Delbanco TL, Berkey CS, Kaptchuk TJ, Kupelnick B, Kuhl J, et al. Cognitive behavioral techniques for hypertension: Are they effective? Ann Intern Med. 1993; 118:964-72. Google Scholar2. Cottier C, Shapiro K, Julius S. Treatment of mild hypertension with progressive muscle relaxation. Predictive value of indexes of sympathetic tone. Arch Intern Med. 1984; 144:1954-8. Google Scholar3. Jacob RG, Shapiro AP, O'Hara P, Portser S, Kruger A, Gatsonis C, et al. Relaxation therapy for hypertension: setting specific effects. Psychosom Med. 1992; 54:87-101. Google Scholar4. McGrady A, Higgins JT Jr. Effect of repeated measurements of blood pressure on blood pressure in essential hypertension: role of anxiety. J Behav Med. 1990; 13:93-101. Google Scholar5. Friedman R, Stuart EM, Benson H. Essential hypertension: nonpharmacologic adjuncts to therapy. In: Cooke JP, Frohlich ED, eds. Current Management of Hypertensive and Vascular Diseases. St. Louis: Mosby-Year Book; 1992:1-7. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Deaconess Hospital; Boston MA 02215State University of New York at Stony Brook; Stony Brook, NY 11794 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byReflections on Adoption Ethics 1 January 1994Volume 120, Issue 1Page: 91KeywordsExerciseExercise therapyGenetic predispositionHabitsHeart rateHypertensionMedical risk factorsObesitySodiumWeight loss Issue Published: 1 January 1994 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1994 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...