Melatonin for blood pressure control in adults

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Pharmacology
• Sleep Medicine
• Clinical Trial Methodology

Background:

• Blood pressure regulation is complex, influenced by circadian rhythms and sleep.
• Melatonin, a hormone regulating sleep-wake cycles, has potential cardiovascular effects.
• Understanding melatonin's impact on blood pressure is crucial for patient safety and therapeutic use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of oral melatonin supplementation on systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) in adults compared to placebo.
• To explore dose-response relationships and effects across various participant and intervention characteristics.
• To assess adverse events and patient-important outcomes related to melatonin use.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies.
• Inclusion of immediate-release (IR) and controlled-/sustained-release (CR/SR) melatonin formulations.
• Subgroup analyses based on baseline blood pressure, medication use, sleep disorders, formulation, measurement methods, age, and sex.

Main Results:

• Data synthesis will quantify changes in SBP and DBP following melatonin supplementation.
• Dose-response relationships will be analyzed to identify potential thresholds.
• Adverse events and patient-reported outcomes like quality of life and sleep quality will be summarized.

Conclusions:

• The review will provide evidence on melatonin's efficacy and safety for blood pressure management.
• Findings will inform clinical guidelines regarding melatonin use in adults, particularly those with hypertension or sleep disorders.
• Further research may be guided by the identified gaps in evidence, especially concerning long-term cardiovascular outcomes.