Related Experiment Videos
[Modification of the risk profile of obese essential hypertensive patients by the group "hypertension discussion"
H D Basler1, H Baumann, H H Beckers
1Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg.
Insights
This study shows that a behavioral therapy program for obese essential hypertensives significantly reduced blood pressure and weight. The intervention improved psychological well-being and favorably affected blood lipids and glucose levels.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Behavioral Therapy
- Preventive Medicine
Context:
- Obesity and essential hypertension are significant risk factors for coronary heart disease.
- Group treatment programs integrating behavioral therapy offer a novel approach to managing these conditions.
- General practices are key settings for implementing such interventions.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the "Discussions on Hypertension" group treatment program.
- To assess the program's impact on modifying the risk profile for coronary heart disease in obese essential hypertensives.
- To investigate the program's effects on psychological, behavioral, and physiological parameters.
Summary:
- A controlled study involving 137 obese essential hypertensives compared a behavioral therapy program with a control group.
- The experimental group showed significant improvements in well-being, health knowledge, and healthy behaviors.
- Key physiological outcomes included reduced diastolic blood pressure, weight loss (average 5.6 kg), and favorable changes in blood lipids and glucose levels.
Impact:
- The program demonstrated a preventive effect by markedly reducing the proportion of patients with multiple risk factors.
- It offers a viable, effective strategy for managing hypertension and associated cardiovascular risks within primary care settings.
- The findings support the integration of behavioral interventions into routine medical practice for chronic disease management.
Abstract:
The programme "Discussions on Hypertension" is a programme for group treatment of obese essential hypertensives in medical practices on the basis of behavioural therapy. A co-operation model was developed between the Department for General Medicine of the "Medizinische Hochschule Hannover", the Institute for Medical Psychology of the "Philipps-Universität Marburg" and the company Galenus Mannheim and was offered to doctors in general practice. The effects of the programme on the modifying of the risk profile for coronary heart disease was investigated in a controlled study in 137 patients by nine general practitioners. 81 patients were enrolled in the experimental group and 56 patients were assigned to a control group that was not using the programme. The experimental and control groups were comparable with respect to sociodemographic, psychological and medical parameters. Three months after completing the programme, the results of the study was shown in specific effect both on the psychological criteria of success (well-being, health knowledge, healthy behaviour, salt use and compliance) and in a reduction of the diastolic blood pressure in spite of a reduction of the antihypertensive drug treatment. The blood lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) and the blood glucose level were also favourably affected. Patients in the experimental group had reduced their weight by an average of 5.6 kg. The patients in the control group only by 0.8 kg. Overall, there was a marked reduction in the proportion of patients with several risk factors in the experimental group, so that the programme can be attributed a preventive effect.