Autogenic training in the treatment and secondary prevention of essential hypertension: five-year follow-up.

Ninety patients with essential hypertension were followed for 5 years. Initially the patients were randomized into two groups: (a) an experimental group consisting of 44 patients who received autogenic training and (b) a control group of 46 patients who did not receive any behavioral intervention. By the end of the follow-up period, the experimental group was significantly different from the control group, with reduced blood pressure (by 5.8 mm Hg systolic and 3.2 mm Hg diastolic vs. 4.3 mm Hg systolic and 2.0 mm Hg diastolic), a smaller increase in left-ventricular myocardial mass (14.6 g vs. 38.2 g), improved psychological indices, and a decrease in the number of sick days of leave. Autogenic training appeared to be more effective in patients with mild hypertension than in those with moderate hypertension and the results were comparable with those obtained with regular medication.