Walton Kenneth G, Schneider Robert H, Nidich Sanford
Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention, College of Maharishi Vedic Medicine, Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa, USA.
Cardiol Rev. 2004 Sep-Oct;12(5):262-6. doi: 10.1097/01.crd.0000113021.96119.78.
Because of growing evidence for stress as a major factor contributing to cardiovascular disease (CVD), techniques of meditation are being increasingly used. The Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique is distinct from other techniques of meditation not only in its origin and procedure, but also in the amount and breadth of research testing it. Evidence for its ability to reduce traditional and novel risk factors for CVD includes: 1) decreases in blood pressure, 2) reduced use of tobacco and alcohol, 3) lowering of high cholesterol and lipid oxidation, and 4) decreased psychosocial stress. Changes expected to result from reducing these risk factors, namely, reversal of atherosclerosis, reduction of myocardial ischemia and left ventricular hypertrophy, reduced health insurance claims for CVD, and reduced mortality, also have been found with TM practice. Research on mechanisms suggests that some of the CVD-related benefits as a result of this technique could arise from normalization of neuroendocrine systems whose function has been distorted by chronic stress. Further randomized clinical trials are in progress with a focus on underserved minority populations.
由于越来越多的证据表明压力是导致心血管疾病（CVD）的主要因素，冥想技巧正越来越多地被使用。超觉静坐（TM）技巧与其他冥想技巧不同，不仅在于其起源和程序，还在于对其进行研究测试的数量和广度。其降低CVD传统和新风险因素能力的证据包括：1）血压下降；2）烟草和酒精使用减少；3）高胆固醇和脂质氧化降低；4）心理社会压力减轻。通过TM练习也发现了因降低这些风险因素而预期产生的变化，即动脉粥样硬化的逆转、心肌缺血和左心室肥厚的减轻、CVD医疗保险索赔的减少以及死亡率的降低。对机制的研究表明，这种技巧带来的一些与CVD相关的益处可能源于神经内分泌系统的正常化，其功能已因慢性压力而扭曲。针对服务不足的少数群体的进一步随机临床试验正在进行中。
