Evaluating the response of mild hypertensives to biofeedback-assisted relaxation using a mental stress test.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the long term effect of a program of biofeedback-assisted relaxation on hypertensive patients by mental stress test reactivity. Twenty mild hypertensive patients were subjected to a mental arithmetic stress test before and six months after completing biofeedback-assisted relaxation therapy. The therapy consisted of 10 sessions of biofeedback-assisted relaxation instruction and continuous home practise. The study group was compared to a control group. The biofeedback-assisted relaxation treatment produced a mild improvement in blood pressure control and decreased the dose of drugs used as well as a decrease in state-anxiety (p < 0.05). The stress-induced increases in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, galvanic skin response and skin temperature were all significantly attenuated six months after completion of biofeedback-assisted relaxation treatment.
Department of Hypertension, Soroka Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
E
E
Paran
M
M
Amir
N
N
Yaniv
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome