Key Points
- To determine whether a 4-week blood pressure biofeedback intervention reduces blood pressure and pressor reactivity to stress in adults with mild hypertension.
- Randomized controlled trial assigning participants to either active blood pressure biofeedback (n=20; 4 weekly laboratory sessions with continuous feedback signals) or sham biofeedback (n=18; instructed to modulate blood pressure without feedback).
- Assessed blood pressure, skin conductance, skin temperature, stress reactivity, body weight, and state anxiety at baseline and at an 8-week post-intervention follow-up (week 12).
- Active biofeedback produced significantly greater baseline-to-follow-up reductions in systolic BP (12.6 ± 8.8 vs 4.1 ± 5.7 mmHg; p=0.001) and mean arterial pressure (8.2 ± 6.9 vs 3.3 ± 4.9 mmHg; p=0.017) than sham biofeedback.
- ANCOVA adjusting for baseline values confirmed active biofeedback significantly lowered follow-up systolic blood pressure (p=0.013) and mean arterial pressure (p=0.026).
- Significant pre-to-post reductions in skin conductance (p=0.005) and systolic blood pressure reactivity to stress (p=0.01) occurred in the active group only, with no changes in state anxiety or body weight in either group.
Structured PICO
Does a 4-week blood pressure biofeedback program reduce blood pressure and pressure reactivity in individuals with mild hypertension?
PPopulation38 individuals with mild hypertension (n=20 in active group, n=18 in sham group)
IIntervention4-week blood pressure (BP) biofeedback program consisting of 4 weekly laboratory sessions to self-regulate BP with continuous BP feedback signals
CComparatorSham biofeedback group (instructed to manipulate their BP without feedback signals)
OOutcomeBlood pressure (systolic and mean) and BP reactivity to stress at week 12 follow-up (8 weeks after training)surrogate
A 4-week blood pressure biofeedback program effectively lowers systolic and mean blood pressure in individuals with mild hypertension, potentially by reducing pressor reactivity to stress.