Comparison of biofeedback pulse wave velocity and progressive relaxation on essential hypertensives.

In a study undertaken to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of two behavioral treatments for essential hypertension (biofeedback on arterial pulse-wave velocity and progressive relaxation) 24 hypertensive subjects were randomly assigned to either a relaxation or biofeedback treatment group for 5 weekly sessions. In a second stage of the study 16 of the original subjects received both biofeedback and relaxation treatments during 5 additional weekly sessions. Results indicated that biofeedback and relaxation were equally effective in initial lowering of blood pressure in hypertensives. Although biofeedback training lead to superior reductions at the 3-mo. follow-up point, after 1 yr. the blood pressures of both groups were not only equal but well below those presented at the beginning of the study.