Effects of Speech-therapy in Hypertensive Patients

Klinik Arlesheim

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hypertension

Treatments: Behavioral: Anthroposophic speech therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02681484

ATS1

Details and patient eligibility

About

Anthroposophic speech therapy (ATS) has been shown to positively influence heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate - respiration coordination in healthy volunteers. This study was performed to learn more about such improvements and possible alteration in baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in hypertensive patients, which characteristically differ in those regulatory parameters from normotensive patients

Full description

In this prospective, primarily pre-post study, patients received three ATS treatments in alternation with three control sessions (casual talking with the therapist). In order to perform HRV-analysis and BRS determination blood pressure and ECG were continuously recorded during the sessions. Changes in subjective well-being and perceived health were assessed by questionnaire before and after the various sessions (mood questionaire).

Thirty-one patients participated in this study, the majority diagnosed with arterial hypertension (22 out of 31).

Enrollment: 31 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Indication for speech therapy
• Willing and able to perform speech therapy
• Out-patient treatment or planned hospitalisation for at least 14 days.
• Diagnosed with hypertension (I 10, either on drug therapy or verified by 24h blood pressure measurements), with tension headache (G 44.2) or with anxiety (F 41) confirmed by the recruiting physician
• No alteration in medication affecting HRV for the last 2 months before and during the study

Exclusion criteria

• Comorbidity strongly influencing HRV
• Too weak to participate in an active therapy
• Pacemaker
• Skin disease or allergies preventing the use of ECG electrodes

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

31 participants in 2 patient groups

Hypertensive

Experimental group

Description:

Patients diagnosed with hypertension (I10, either on drug therapy or verified by 24h blood pressure measurements) administered to anthroposophic speech therapy (intervention).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Anthroposophic speech therapy

Normotensive

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients diagnosed with tension headache (G 44.2) or anxiety disorders (F41) administered to anthroposophic speech therapy (intervention).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Anthroposophic speech therapy