Efficacy of biofeedback treatment compared with drug therapy in hypertensive patients.
To assess the ability of biofeedback (BFB) in controlling hypertension a study was made of 40 hypertensive patients selected by means of the cardiovascular response to an arithmetic test. The patients were divided into four treatment groups: 10 patients were treated with diuretic therapy (D-T), 10 with beta-blocker therapy (Bb-T), 10 with BFB treatment, while 10 had no treatment at all (N-T). The BFB treatment consisted of 36 sittings where patients were requested to control muscular contraction, peripheric temperature and heart rate (HR) by means of a correlated acoustic signal. The results for blood pressure and HR reductions were compared during a 12-month follow-up period. The results for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and HR indicate the efficacy of BFB for selected patients and suggest the possibility of using BFB treatment in the first stages of suspected neurogenic hypertension.
Nazzaro
P
P
2nd Medical Pathology, University of Bari, Italy.
Mudoni
A
A
Manzari
M
M
Merlo
M
M
Pieri
R
R
Panettieri
I
I
Vulpis
V
V
Pirrelli
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents