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Psychological methods of lowering blood pressure
Author(s) -
Whyte H. M.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1983.tb122748.x
Subject(s) - biofeedback , blood pressure , medicine , meditation , intensive care medicine , relaxation (psychology) , relaxation therapy , incidence (geometry) , intervention (counseling) , psychotherapist , psychology , physical therapy , psychiatry , philosophy , theology , physics , optics
Brief descriptions are given of the main methods of psychological intervention for controlling blood pressure and comments are made on their usefulness as gathered from recent reviews of the subject. Over‐all assessment suggests that they are of value in the treatment of some patients with hypertension, mainly as adjuncts to pharmacological therapy, with relaxation, meditation and biofeedback techniques in order of decreasing effectiveness. Although the reduction in blood pressure produced is generally small, it is comparable with that produced by drugs, and was associated with a 30% reduction in the incidence of morbid events in the Australian therapeutic trial in mild hypertension. Further research integrating the behavioural, biological, and pharmacological aspects of blood pressure control is needed.