This was a randomized, single blind, controlled, community-based trial comparing the clinical efficacy of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program in reducing atherosclerotic CVD in 197 African American men and women with documented coronary artery disease (CAD). This trial compared the efficacy of the TM program to health education over one year. All patients with minimum carotid artery wall thickness (>0.65mm women and >0.72 men) were randomly allocated to either the TM program or health education (HE). The primary outcome was carotid intima media thickness (IMT) assessed by B-mode ultrasonography at baseline and 12 months. Secondary outcomes were clinical events, blood pressure, lipids, lifestyle, and psychosocial stress.
This was a randomized, single blind, controlled, community-based trial comparing the clinical efficacy of the Transcendental Meditation program in reducing atherosclerotic CVD in 197 African American men and women with documented coronary artery disease (CAD) over a one-year treatment period. After baseline testing, participants were randomly assigned to either a stress reduction program (Transcendental Meditation) or a standard health education program.