Effects of blood pressure biofeedback treatment on essential hypertension

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of the blood pressure (BP) biofeedback system (the direct method) to the treatment of essential hypertension. The subjects of this study were 10 outpatients with essential hypertension (5 men and 5 women). The ages were ranged from 25 to 65 years (M=52.1). Three patients had taken anti hypertensive drugs. It was instructed that self-monitoring of BP at home had been performed three times a day through the baseline period (2 weeks) to the follow-up period (2 weeks). In the treatment period, 4 sessions of the BP biofeedback training were performed once a week. The average self-monitored BP in the follow-up period reduced compared with those in the baseline period, but there was no significant change. The average systolic and diastolic BP monitored by the Finapres reduced significantly compared with those in the first session and the forth session (*136±15.1→118 ±15.9/*90±9.6→80±9.9 mmHg, *p<0.05, respectively). The average systolic and diastolic BP determined professionally reduced significantly compared with the baseline period and the follow-up period (**157 ±11.4→138±8.9/**94±6.9→84±5.5 mmHg, **p<0.01, respectively). The BP elevations by the mental stress test in the follow-up period decreased compared with those in the baseline period (21±8.0→14±7.5 mmHg/*14±7.5→8+7.0 mmHg, *p<0.05). The BP biofeedback treatment was effective to the patients with hypertension (not severe) and diagnosed as white-coat hypertension. Professionally determined BP and computer-monitored BP more markedly reduced than self-monitored BP. The BP elevation by the mental stress test was suppressed by the treatment. Therefore, it is considered that this BP biofeedback system may suppress the response of BP elevation by the stress. We would like to perform further study for the clinical application of this biofeedback system to the essential hypertension and investigate the relationship among the degree of effect, the patients' characters, periods of illness, and the severity of illness.