Behavioral versus pharmacological treatments for essential hypertension: a pilot study.
This is the only study so far in which a behavioral treatment is compared with standard pharmacological treatments for essential hypertension. Three groups of five subjects each were compared: 1. pharmacological treatment; 2. relaxation treatment (autogenic training); 3. the combination. The group given antihypertensive medication was significantly more improved (as determined by blood pressure decrease) by the fourth quarter of the treatment as compared with the relaxation treatment or with the combination. This advantage for routine amounts of antihypertensive medications vs. behavioral treatments is consistent with the only other data from a similar comparison that is available [1].
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001326:Autogenic Training; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents