"CAM" Therapies May Help Manage Mild to Moderate Hypertension

PORTLAND, Ore., May 1, 2000 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) offers doctors and patients viable therapies for managing mild to moderate hypertension, reports the Healthnotes Review (HNR), a clinical review journal published quarterly by Healthnotes, Inc.

      In an extensive article, the authors provide a protocol summary of dietary and lifestyle changes that are clinically proven to treat mild to moderate hypertension. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, high blood pressure affects about 50 million -- or one in four -- American adults. Of those with hypertension, about 68% are aware of their condition -- but only 27% have it under control. The reasons for this include not taking drugs as prescribed and/or not taking a medication that sufficiently lowers blood pressure.

      "[N]atural therapies used to treat hypertension are not only relatively free of negative side effects, but they also may reduce the risk of some other chronic diseases. For those reasons, an increasing number of clinicians have become interested in natural ways of preventing and treating hypertension," writes authors Steve Austin, N.D., Eric Yarnell, N.D., Alan Gaby, M.D., and Donald Brown, N.D. "Many patients with mild to moderate hypertension respond sufficiently to natural therapies so that a reduction in drug dosage or even elimination of antihypertensive medication may be possible."

      The article, which constitutes part one of a detailed clinical monograph, addresses dietary and lifestyle changes, including the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet, vegetarianism, low salt intake, smoking cessation, and exercise. Part two, which will cover herbal and nutrient interventions, will be published in the HNR Summer issue.

      "Our goal this year is for Healthnotes Review to increase the focus on integration of CAM therapies into clinical practice," comments Dr. Donald Brown, who is the HNR Editor-in-Chief and one of the foremost experts in the United States on evidence-based herbal medicine.

      "According to a recent report in the New York Times," he continues, "over two-thirds of the nation''s medical schools have courses on CAM, many aimed at helping physicians answer patients'' questions. Harvard Medical School now has a fellowship program to train internists how to conduct research on CAM therapies. Couple this with the growing number of healthcare providers offering coverage of naturopathy, chiropractic medicine, and acupuncture, and we''re seeing a quantum leap in the use of CAM therapies."

      To review a complete copy of "Clinical Applications of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Hypertension," go to www.healthnotes.com/hnr.

      Healthnotes, Inc., independently develops and distributes fully referenced, scientific, and balanced information on complementary and alternative medicine. Gathered from scientific studies published in peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals, the information is incorporated into several print and electronic products, including HNR, the Clinical Essentials Series for healthcare professionals, and Healthnotes Online, an acclaimed database that provides quickly accessible information about selected health conditions, herbs, vitamin supplements, homeopathic remedies, and drug-nutrient depletions and interactions. Founded in 1986, Healthnotes, Inc., is located in Portland, Oregon.

      SOURCE Healthnotes, Inc.

     

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