Journal of Hypertension, 03/07/2017
Shi L, et al. – This exploration was designed to assess the impact of meditation interventions (transcendental meditation and non–transcendental meditation interventions) on blood pressure (BP). Findings of this meta–analytical study suggested the potential of non–transcendental meditation for providing promising reductions in both SBP and DBP when employed as an alternative approach. In addition, more ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM)–measured transcendental meditation interventions might be needed to examine the benefit of transcendental meditation intervention on SBP reduction.
Methods
- Researchers performed a systematic literature search of the PubMed, ABI/INFORM, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases (from January 1980 to October 2015) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the BP responses to meditation interventions.
- They meta-analyzed the change in SBP and DBP, stratified by type of meditation (transcendental meditation vs. non-transcendental meditation intervention) and by type of BP measurement [ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) vs. non-ABPM measurement].
Results
- Overall, 19 studies met the eligibility criteria.
- Findings revealed that among the studies using the ABPM measurement, the pooled SBP effect estimate was -2.49 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI): -7.51, 2.53] for transcendental meditation intervention (statistically insignificant) and -3.77 mmHg (95% CI: -5.33, -2.21) for non-transcendental meditation interventions, whereas the pooled DBP effect estimate was -4.26 mmHg (95% CI: -6.21, -2.31) for transcendental meditation interventions and -2.18 mmHg (95% CI: -4.28, -0.09) for non-transcendental meditation interventions.
- Researchers observed that among the studies using the non-ABPM measurement, the pooled SBP effect estimate from transcendental meditation interventions was -5.57 mmHg (95% CI: -7.41, -3.73) and was -5.09 mmHg with non-transcendental meditation intervention (95% CI: -6.34, -3.85), whereas the pooled effect size in DBP change for transcendental meditation interventions was -2.86 mmHg (95% CI: -4.27, -1.44) and was -2.57 mmHg (95% CI: -3.36, -1.79) for non-transcendental meditation interventions.