[The comparative effectiveness of different psychological methods for treating patients with a labile course of hypertension (based on international research data)].

Examination of 110 patients with essential hypertension (EH) carried out in the USSR and GDR revealed, by the end of the observation period (one year), a significant lowering and normalization of arterial pressure at rest and a certain reduction of the intensity of the hypertensive response to psychoemotional stress influences in the presence of psychological relaxation therapy (PRT). The survey made it possible to try the designed methods for PRT in both countries and demonstrated that the intensity of the hypotensive action of the methods appeared comparable in different populations of patients suffering from essential hypertension. The intensity of the hypotensive action of PRT correlated with the level of arterial pressure before treatment, with the age of EH patients, and with their psychological characteristics.