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MONDAY, Dec. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Participants in a mindfulness program have significant improvements in self-regulation skills and reductions in blood pressure, according to a small study published online Nov. 27 in PLOS ONE<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Eric B. Loucks, Ph.D., from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and colleagues evaluated a customized, nine-week Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP) program. In addition to one year of follow-up data, focus groups and in-depth interviews were performed to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of the program.<\/p>\n
The researchers reported that of 53 eligible participants, 48 enrolled, and of these, 90 percent attended at least seven of the 10 MB-BP classes and 43 were followed to one year (90 percent). Compared with baseline, at one-year follow-up, there were improvements in primary self-regulation outcomes, including attention control, emotion regulation, and self-awareness. Among participants not adhering to American Heart Association guidelines at baseline, there were improvements in several determinants of hypertension, including physical activity, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension-consistent diet, and alcohol consumption. At one-year follow-up, there were mean 6.1-mm Hg reductions in systolic blood pressure, with effects most pronounced in patients with stage 2 uncontrolled hypertension (\u2265140 mm Hg), showing 15.1-mm Hg reductions.<\/p>\n
“Mindfulness may represent another approach to helping these people bring their blood pressure down, by allowing them to understand what’s happening in their minds and bodies,” Loucks said in a statement.<\/p>\n