@article{9b8cc49ef4a34beabf6d246a8db17d1f,
title = "Comprehensive Approach to Lower Blood Pressure (CALM-BP): A randomized controlled trial of a multifactorial lifestyle intervention",
abstract = "Complementary medicine advocates the use of a multifactorial approach to address the varied aspects of hypertension. The aim of this study was to compare the blood pressure (BP) effect and medication use of a novel Comprehensive Approach to Lowering Measured Blood Pressure (CALM-BP), based on complementary medicine principles, with the standard recommended Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH). A total of 113 patients treated with antihypertensive drugs were randomly assigned to either CALM-BP treatment (consisting of rice diet, walks, yoga, relaxation and stress management) or to a DASH+exercise control group (consisting of DASH and walks). Ambulatory 24-h and home BP were monitored over a 16-week programme, followed by 6 months of maintenance period. Medications were reduced if systolic BP dropped below 110 mm Hg accompanied by symptoms. In addition to BP reduction, medications were reduced because of symptomatic hypotension in 70.7% of the CALM-BP group compared with 32.7% in the DASH group, P<0.0001. After 6 months, medication status was not altered in the majority of individuals. Significant reductions in body mass index, cholesterol and improved quality-of-life scores were observed only in the CALM-BP group. Lifestyle and diet modifications based on complementary medicine principles are highly effective with respect to BP control, medication use and cardiovascular risk factors.",
keywords = "Blood pressure, Diet, Lifestyle, Quality of life, Stress",
author = "A. Ziv and O. Vogel and D. Keret and S. Pintov and E. Bodenstein and K. Wolkomir and K. Doenyas and Y. Mirovski and S. Efrati",
note = "Funding Information: We thank trial volunteers Shaked Wiemer, Ronit Bar Cochva, Adi Neuman, Guy Ofer, Dana Staerman, Amit Gedalia, Naama Swisa, Efrat Drori, Monique Hasson Elazar, Ziv Meir, Nechama Segal and Shiri Kfir-Ellenbogen for their excellent clinical assistance. We thank Roi Sagi and Shron More for their outstanding administrative and recruitment efforts as well as the staff and nurses of Shiram and Research and Development Units for their expert technical assistance. The study was funded by the research fund of Assaf Harofeh Medical Center.",
year = "2013",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1038/jhh.2013.29",
language = "אנגלית",
volume = "27",
pages = "594--600",
journal = "Journal of Human Hypertension",
issn = "0950-9240",
publisher = "Springer Nature",
number = "10",
}