According to an American Heart Association scientific statement published earlier this week, engaging in an aerobic exercise or resistance training program can be seen as an adjunctive therapy to standard medical and dietary therapies for treating hypertension. However, evidence to support the use of biofeedback techniques, isometric handgrip exercise, device-guided slow breathing, meditation, yoga, relaxation therapy, stress-reduction techniques and acupuncture was either not as strong or inconclusive.
Dr. Robert D. Brook, chair of the writing committee, and colleagues reviewed about 1000 mostly observational studies. They concluded that it is reasonable for all patients with BP levels higher than 120/80 mm Hg to consider a trial of alternative approaches as adjuvant methods to help lower BP. However, since no alternative modality can reliably decrease BP by 20/10 mm Hg or more, patients who require this magnitude of BP reduction should employ alternative approaches only after they are first treated with appropriate pharmacologic strategies.
Furthermore, the committee emphasized that some of the observational studies suggest that aerobic exercise and resistance training may also be associated with cardiovascular benefits and therefore recommend that those able to engage in this type of exercise should begin using these in conjunction with the other therapies they are using to control blood pressure.
ACSH s Dr. Gilbert Ross says, It s important that people really pay attention to the emphasis they put on these exercise therapies being used in addition to medical or nutrition therapy. People should not see this statement as a way to justify ceasing to take their medications.