Rx: Blow away—HYPERTENSION

Have you had your blood pressure checked lately? Of course everyone knows they should, but how many of us actually get around to it? Feeling “fine” is no excuse—doctors call high blood pressure the “silent killer” because it rarely produces warning symptoms until things get dangerously out of control. As a result, lots of people have hypertension, an estimated 65 million Americans—or one in every three adults.

People with high blood pressure can lower it by taking various drugs. Unfortunately, these can produce a number of troublesome side effects, including impotence, muscle weakness, leg cramps, insomnia, cold hands and feet, asthma-like symptoms, chronic cough, and dizziness.
But blood pressure medications needn’t be your first choice. You can lower your blood pressure by changing your diet, losing weight, and exercising regularly, says Joseph Marek, MD, clinical cardiologist and hypertension specialist at Midwest Heart Specialists in Elmhurst, Illinois. And if these changes are not enough, Marek often recommends additional support from a portable home device called the RESPeRATE ($299; www.resperate.com). Designed to take you through paced, guided breathing exercises, the RESPeRATE consists of a small, computerized control unit (about the size of a paperback book), a breathing sensor, and a set of headphones.

How it works?
During a session, the device analyzes your breathing rate and pattern and creates a personalized two-tone melody—one tone for inhalation and one for exhalation. As you synchronize your breathing with the tones, the device gradually prolongs the exhalation tone, slowing the breathing rate to about 10 breaths per minute—constricted blood vessels relax, and your blood pressure decreases. “I’ve been recommending the RESPeRATE for the past five years,” says Marek, of the only nondrug medical device approved by the FDA for the treatment of hypertension. “With consistent use at the recommended 15 minutes per day, it definitely lowers blood pressure. It’s been very helpful for many of my hypertensive patients.”

Need proof? Dedicated RESPeRATE user Deborah Kelly of Morrison, Colorado, lowered her blood pressure by approximately 30 points. Kelly and her doctor were concerned when her blood pressure readings hit 145/90, but she wanted to avoid taking drugs to resolve the problem. Using the RESPeRATE routine, Kelly, age 55, now maintains an average reading of 115/75.

A handheld, portable device called StressEraser ($299; www.stresseraser.com) offers similar help. This gadget monitors your heart rate variability, which is considered the best measurement of nervous system activity, and guides you toward slower, smoother breathing. The thought is that the breath can regulate the parasympathetic system, and this system can help change the way nerves respond to stress. If you learn to breathe right, you’ll learn to respond to stress in healthier ways.

A third alternative, The Journey to Wild Divine, ($160; www.wilddivine.com) functions like an interactive computer game that helps you navigate your way to calm. Simply hook three of your fingers to the plastic clips, which measure heart rate and nerve impulses and feed that information into your computer. To conquer challenges, you must master breathing and meditation techniques that improve your focus and control your energy. The end result: relaxation. The latest installment features the soothing accent of health guru Deepak Chopra, MD.