How effective are two stress reduction approaches to the treatment of mild hypertension in older African Americans?
Description of study population: The target population was African-American men and women 55 years of age or older with a history of mild hypertension (90 to 109 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure and less than or equal to 189 mm Hg systolic blood pressure based on three successive measurements at the initial screening visit), whether or not they were taking antihypertensive medication. Candidates were excluded if they had medical evidence of life-threatening or disabling diseases or if their blood pressure exceeded 104 mm Hg diastolic or 179 mm Hg systolic at any two successive visits. Subjects were recruited from local community clinics, senior citizen centers and other community organizations in Oakland, CA. Over an 18-month period, 213 people were screened for eligibility; 127 were randomized to treatment. After attrition, 111 individuals completed the study. Description of intervention: The interventions focused on two approaches to stress reduction: transcendental meditation (TM) and
