Spirituality-Based Intervention in Hypertension: FEEL Trial Results
Background
Research shows that spirituality can improve health outcomes, but this area has not been extensively studied in clinical trials. Hypertension is a leading cause of heart-related health issues globally.
Objectives
This study aimed to see if a spirituality-based program could lower blood pressure (BP) and enhance blood vessel function in patients with mild to moderate hypertension over 12 weeks.
Methods
We conducted an open randomized controlled trial with adults suffering from stage I or II hypertension. After initial evaluations, patients were divided into two groups: one receiving spirituality training via daily WhatsApp messages, focusing on forgiveness, gratitude, optimism, and life purpose, and the other serving as a control group. We measured changes in office and central BP, home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM), and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) at the beginning and after 12 weeks.
Results
A total of 51 participants were assigned to the spirituality group and 49 to the control group. The two groups were similar at the start. The spirituality training led to:
- Office systolic blood pressure (SBP): decreased by 7.6 mmHg
- Central SBP: decreased by 4.1 mmHg
- Flow-mediated dilation: improved by 4.1 percentage points
Statistical testing showed significant improvements in the spirituality group for office SBP and FMD compared to the control group.
Conclusion
The spirituality-based intervention helped reduce office SBP and improve vascular function. Further studies will be conducted on a larger scale to confirm these findings.
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