Audio relaxation techniques could be beneficial to older people suffering from hypertension, a new study has suggested.

Speaking at the American Heart Association's 62nd Annual Fall Conference of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research, scientists from the College of Nursing at Seattle University in the USA found such a method lowered blood pressure more than classical music.

The study involved 41 elderly patients from three retirement facilities.

A total of 20 listened to a 12-minute audio-guided relaxation training programme (ATP) with a claming voice and ocean waves three times a week.

Meanwhile, 21 listened to a Mozart sonata lasting the same period of time.

Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as heart rate, were measured before and after each session.

The ATP group's blood pressure lowered from 141/73 to 132/70 mmHg.

Meanwhile, the Mozart group lowered blood pressure from 141/71 to 134/69mmHg.

"This programme may provide yet another way to help manage hypertension in conjunction with medication, lifestyle changes, exercise, diet and stress management," commented lead author Dr Jean Tang.

Login and visit the Hypertension Knowledge Centre

• Hypertension at medical offices may not predict heart risks, says study 25/11/08
• Hypertension develops early in black men, study suggests 17/11/08
• Hypertension "a looming problem in Europe", study shows 12/11/08
• Study links hypertension in pregnancy to reduced testicular cancer risk 30/10/08
• Hypertension following stroke should not rule out anti-clot therapy, researchers state 09/09/08

• REVATIO 20 mg film-coated tablets - 49.42%
  Treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension classified as WHO functional class III, to improve exercise capacity. Efficacy has been shown in primary pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary hypertension associated with connective tissue disease ...
  
  
• THELIN Film-coated Tablets - 49.42%
  Treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension classified as WHO functional class III, to improve exercise capacity. Efficacy has been shown in primary pulmonary hypertension and in pulmonary hypertension associated with connective tissue disease ...
  
  
• ACCUPRO Tablets - 48.68%
  Hypertension - For the treatment of all grades of essential hypertension. Accupro is effective as monotherapy or concomitantly with diuretics in patients with hypertension. Congestive Heart Failure - For the treatment of congestive heart failure when given concomitantly with a diuretic and/or ...
  
  
• APRESOLINE (hypertension) - 48.56%
  Apresoline Injection: Hypertensive emergencies Hypertensive emergencies especially those associated with pre-eclampsia and toxaemia of pregnancy, hypertension with renal complications. Apresoline: Adjunct to other antihypertensives in moderate to severe hypertension ...
  
  
• CARDURA Tablets - 48.07%
  Hypertension:Cardura is indicated for the treatment of hypertension and can be used as the sole agent to control blood pressure in the majority of patients. In patients inadequately controlled on single antihypertensive therapy, Cardura may be used in combination with a thiazide diuretic, beta ...
  
  
• BETOPTIC - 47.95%
  Betoptic and Betoptic Drops: Ocular hypertension, chronic open-angle glaucoma. Betopic Suspension Single Dose: Ocular hypertension, chronic open-angle glaucoma in patients who are hypersensitive to preservatives ...