Analyze whether counseling for weight reduction has a significant effect on reducing blood pressure?

Hypertension

Some common strategies for treating hypertensive patients by nonpharmacologic methods include (1) weight reduction and (2) trying to get the patient to relax more by meditational or other techniques. Suppose these strategies are evaluated by randomizing hypertensive patients to four groups who receive the following types of nonpharmacologic therapy:

Group 1: Patients receive counseling for both weight reduction and meditation.

Group 2: Patients receive counseling for weight reduction but not for meditation.

Group 3: Patients receive counseling for meditation but not for weight reduction.

Group 4: Patients receive no counseling at all.

Suppose 20 hypertensive patients are assigned at random to each of the four groups, and the change in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is noted in these patients after a 1-month period. The results are given in Table 12.33.

Table 12.33 Change in DBP among hypertensive patients who receive different kinds of non pharmacologic therapy

 

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Mean change in DBP (baseline - follow-up) (mm Hg) sd change Group 6.2 8.6 5.3 4.9 20 5.4 20 20 7.0 6.5 4 1.1 20