Can RESPeRATE Help Lower Your Blood Pressure?

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most common form of cardiovascular disease in the United States. It affects nearly one in three adults. Left untreated, high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, kidney disease and stroke. While some are able to control or lower their blood pressure by adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors (weight loss, quitting smoking, decreasing salt intake) and/or by practicing relaxation methods (yoga, meditation), there is a new player in town that could make it all a bit easier.

RESPeRATE is a portable device that looks much like a CD player, but actually provides the user with biofeedback. It works by analyzing your breathing pattern, and then creating customized relaxing musical melodies that you hear through the earphones. The user uses the rhythm of the music to control their own respiratory motions, reducing stress by slowing their inhalations and exhalations to the pace of the music. The goal is slow, deep breathing of 10 breaths per minute.

Studies have shown that doing these exercises 15 minutes several times a week could significantly lower blood pressure in four to six weeks. People with high blood pressure who used RESPeRATE as directed reported an average decrease in systolic pressure of 14 mm Hg.

Dr. William J. Elliott, hypertension specialist at Rush University Medical Center, wanted to see if the beneficial effects of RESPeRATE last. He helped the company test the device and says that "it works, but the user has to be committed."

Doctors are unsure why slow breathing works, but suspect that muscles surrounding blood vessels in the body relax, allowing blood to flow more smoothly and allowing blood pressure to drop. Slower breathing may also have a long lasting impact on the central nervous system and may reduce stress hormones. Dr. Jospeh Marek, cardiologist with Midwest Heart Specialists has been prescribing RESPeRATE for years and says, "Patients that I think benefit from this most are patients who have earlier stages of hypertension, people whose blood pressure fluctuates a lot where they are under some stress."

RESPeRATE is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an additional therapy for the treatment of hypertension. The device costs about $300 and may not be covered by your insurance.

Doctors say the most important thing to remember is that RESPeRATE does not replace a good diet and exercise program, but should be considered a complement to a healthier lifestyle. Even if it doesn't get you off medication, it could help you lower your medication dose enough to reduce side effects.