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Related Experiment Videos

Complementary/alternative medicine for hypertension: a mini-review.

Edzard Ernst1

  • 1Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom. Edzard.Ernst@pms.ac.uk

Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
|January 6, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Many patients with high blood pressure explore alternative medicine for better control. Evidence suggests some therapies like garlic and yoga offer modest benefits, but more research is needed for recommendations.

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Area of Science:

  • Integrative medicine
  • Cardiovascular health
  • Evidence-based practice

Background:

  • Hypertension is a prevalent condition requiring effective management strategies.
  • Patients frequently seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for blood pressure control.
  • Existing research on CAM for hypertension lacks comprehensive summarization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the clinical trial evidence for CAM interventions in hypertension management.
  • To identify CAM therapies with demonstrated antihypertensive effects.
  • To assess the quality and consistency of evidence for CAM in blood pressure control.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted extensive electronic literature searches to identify relevant clinical trials.
  • Synthesized evidence from studies evaluating herbal remedies, non-herbal remedies, and other CAM approaches.

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  • Assessed the reported effect sizes and the need for independent replication.

    • Main Results:

    • Numerous CAM interventions have been tested for their antihypertensive effects.
    • Several therapies, including garlic, autogenic training, biofeedback, and yoga, show promising results.
    • The observed effect sizes are generally modest, and independent replications are often lacking.

    Conclusions:

    • CAM therapies show potential for modest blood pressure reduction in hypertensive patients.
    • Garlic, autogenic training, biofeedback, and yoga are among the most encouraging interventions.
    • Further rigorous research is essential to establish firm clinical recommendations for CAM in hypertension.