High blood pressure affects millions of Americans, and a respected medical clinic reports the condition affects most people at some time in their lives. To treat high blood pressure, doctors prescribe medications and recommend lifestyle changes, such as more exercise, better diet, quitting smoking and managing stress. A growing number of physicians recommend meditation as another method for lowering blood pressure.
Identification
High blood pressure, or hypertension, develops over the years and affects nearly everybody, according to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The amount of blood the heart pumps and the level of resistance in the arteries determines your blood pressure. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic says a normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 or lower, while a reading of 140/90 or higher indicates hypertension.
Significance
For more than 90 percent of hypertension cases, there is no identifiable cause. However, the Mayo Clinic reports that 5 to 10 percent of high blood pressure cases result from an underlying condition, such as a congenital heart defect or abnormal kidneys. Some patients may also develop hypertension from certain medications or abuse of illegal drugs.
Prevention/Solution
Lifestyle changes, such as more exercise and a better diet, go a long way toward controlling hypertension. Some physicians may recommend medications, including beta blockers and diuretics, to reduce blood pressure. An increasing number of studies suggest, however, that practicing meditation is another lifestyle change that can lower blood pressure and reduce the need for medication.
Effects
National Public Radio reported in 2008 on a Boston study, which found that patients with hypertension who were taking medications also underwent training in the relaxation response, a meditation technique developed in the 1970s by cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson. Dr. Randy Zusman, head of the hypertension program at Massachusetts General Hospital, told National Public Radio that 40 of 60 patients trained in the meditation technique reduced their blood pressure, leading to lower dosages of medication.
Benefits
Other studies have found meditation helpful in lowering blood pressure. In April 2008, the Reuters news service reported on a study that found that practicing transcendental meditation lowered blood pressure and reduced patients' risk of stroke and of death from cardiovascular causes. In 2009, "U.S. News and World Report" cited the "American Journal of Hypertension," which reported on a study at American University in Washington, D.C. Researchers there found that students who practiced meditation 20 minutes a day over a period of 3 months not only lowered their blood pressure, but also reported less psychological stress and better coping abilities.
Expert Insight
Dr. Zusman of Massachusetts General Hospital reported that meditation increases the body's formation of nitric oxide, a compound that opens the blood vessels, subsequently lowering blood pressure. "It's basically a plumbing problem," he told National Public Radio. "You're pushing the same amount of blood through a bigger pipe"
Considerations
While studies suggest that meditation can lower blood pressure, the authors of these studies caution that meditation requires discipline and daily practice in order to be effective. Other physicians, however, are skeptical of claims that meditation helps with hypertension. The authors of one study acknowledged that some critics claim the research on meditation has been biased and of poor methodological quality.
