title: Music decreases aortic stiffness and wave reflections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Music has been related to cardiovascular health and used as adjunct therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease. Aortic stiffness and wave reflections are predictors of cardiovascular risk. We investigated the short-term effect of classical and rock music on arterial stiffness and wave reflections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy individuals (22.5±2.5 years) were studied on three different occasions and listened to a 30-min music track compilation (classical, rock, or no music for the sham procedure).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both classical and rock music resulted in a decrease of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) immediately after the end of music listening (all p<0.01). Augmentation index (AIx) decreased with either classical or rock music in a more sustained way (nadir by 6.0% and 5.8%, respectively, at time zero post-music listening, all p<0.01). When music preference was taken into consideration, both classical and rock music had a more potent effect on PWV in classical aficionados (by 0.20 m/s, p=0.003 and 0.13 m/s, p=0.015, respectively), whereas there was no effect in rock aficionados (all p=NS). Regarding wave reflections, classical music led to a more potent response in classical aficionados (AIx decrease by 9.45%), whereas rock led to a more potent response to rock aficionados (by 10.7%, all p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Music, both classical and rock, decreases aortic stiffness and wave reflections. Effect on aortic stiffness lasts for as long as music is listened to, while classical music has a sustained effect on wave reflections. These findings may have important implications, extending the spectrum of lifestyle modifications that can ameliorate arterial function.
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: cvlachop@otenet.gr.
authors: Charalambos
authors: C
authors: Vlachopoulos
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Angelos
authors: A
authors: Aggelakas
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Ioakeimidis
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Panagiotis
authors: P
authors: Xaplanteris
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Dimitrios
authors: D
authors: Terentes-Printzios
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Mahmoud
authors: M
authors: Abdelrasoul
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Lazaros
authors: Peripheral Vessels and Hypertension Units, 1st Cardiology Department, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Dimitris
authors: D
authors: Tousoulis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009147:Music Therapy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aortic stiffness; Augmentation index; Music; Pulse wave velocity; Wave reflections