P-425: Efficacy of self treatment of hypertension at home with device-guided breathing

This study evaluated the response and compliance of hypertensive patients to 8 weeks of self-treatment with device-guided breathing (RESPeRATE; RR). 73 hypertensives (58% males, age 54±11 yr, BMI 27±4 kg/m2) were assigned to treatment with RR (n=47) or to Control (n=26) with home BP monitoring. In 81% of the patients blood pressure (BP) was uncontrolled, and 83% of the patients received medication for hypertension. The study included 3 office visits defining a run-in baseline phase followed by an 8-weeks treatment phase. During this 10-weeks study all patients self-measured BP at home daily. After run-in, patients in the treatment group were requested to exercise using RR for 15 minutes daily with the goal of accumulating 45 min of Slow Breathing (breathing slower than 10 breaths/min) per week. Both home BP monitor and RR automatically recorded BP & HR and respiratory pattern, respectively. Baseline office and home BP levels (Systolic/Diastolic) were, respectively, 149±20/93±9 and 138±13/82±9 mmHg and obtained by averaging data over run-in phase, while end home BP level was determined by averaging data over the last 2 weeks of treatment. Over the duration of the treatment phase patients performed 74% of the requested sessions with RR and 66% of the total exercise time was spent in Slow Breathing. After 8 weeks of treatment with RR BP was reduced from Baseline to End value (mean±SD) by 10.6±19.0 / 6.1±11.2 mmHg at office (p