Relaxation therapy in the background of standard antihypertensive drug treatment is effective in management of moderate to severe essential hypertension

To evaluate the efficacy of relaxation technique as an adjunctive therapy for control of hypertension. From April 2004 to January 2005, with a single blinded randomized controlled design, 220 patients with newly diagnosed essential moderate to severe hypertension who needed drug therapy were included in the study. The study took place in the Hypertension Clinic, Sina Hospital, Tabriz, Iran. Patients were systematically randomized to receive standard plus relaxation therapy, 2 times per week, for 8 weeks, or standard therapy alone. We collected the demographic data, blood pressure measurements, and the data on prescribed drugs. The mean age of patients was 54 in the case group and 56 years in the control group. The mean blood pressure level (systolic and diastolic) was 192.86/105.16 and 192.09/102.25 mm Hg on admission in the case and the control groups, which decreased to 133.46/81.48 and 146.21/83.57 mm Hg, at the end of study. The difference of blood pressure on admission was not statistically significant, but became significant at the end of the study. Fifty-nine percent in the case group and 36% in the control group had good control of blood pressure. Relaxation therapy on the background of standard antihypertensive drug treatment results in better control of blood pressure.