Blood Pressure Response to Transcendental Meditation: A Meta-analysis

• Published in: American journal of hypertension Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 310 - 316
• Main Authors: Anderson, James W., Liu, Chunxu, Kryscio, Richard J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Oxford University Press 01-03-2008; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure - physiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Female; Humans; Hypertension - physiopathology; Hypertension - psychology; Hypertension - therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Meditation; Middle Aged; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome; Hypertension; Cardiovascular disease; Arterial pressure; Blood pressure
• ISSN: 0895-7061; 1941-7225; 1879-1905
• DOI: 10.1038/ajh.2007.65

Background Prior clinical trials suggest that the Transcendental Meditation technique may decrease blood pressure of normotensive and hypertensive individuals but study-quality issues have been raised. This study was designed to assess effects of Transcendental Meditation on blood pressure using objective quality assessments and meta-analyses. Methods PubMed and Cochrane databases through December 2006 and collected publications on Transcendental Meditation were searched. Randomized, controlled trials comparing blood pressure responses to the Transcendental Meditation technique with a control group were evaluated. Primary outcome measures were changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after practicing Transcendental Meditation or following control procedures. A specific rating system (0–20 points) was used to evaluate studies and random-effects models were used for meta-analyses. Results Nine randomized, controlled trials met eligibility criteria. Study-quality scores ranged from low (score, 7) to high (16) with three studies of high quality (15 or 16) and three of acceptable quality (11 or 12). The random-effects meta-analysis model for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, indicated that Transcendental Meditation, compared to control, was associated with the following changes: −4.7 mm Hg (95% confidence interval (CI), −7.4 to −1.9 mm Hg) and −3.2 mm Hg (95% CI, −5.4 to −1.3 mm Hg). Subgroup analyses of hypertensive groups and high-quality studies showed similar reductions. Conclusions The regular practice of Transcendental Meditation may have the potential to reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure by ∼4.7 and 3.2 mm Hg, respectively. These are clinically meaningful changes.