A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine reports that mindfulness-based interventions are associated with significant reductions in depressive symptoms and anxiety among adults with hypertension. The study, led by researchers from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and affiliated hospitals, synthesized data from nine randomized controlled trials involving a total of 780 participants. By pooling these results, the authors aimed to clarify the extent to which psychological interventions can influence both emotional well-being and physiological markers in this specific patient population.
The research team followed PRISMA guidelines to conduct their search, querying PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database up to December 31, 2025. The primary focus was on randomized controlled trials evaluating mindfulness interventions in adults diagnosed with hypertension. Continuous outcomes were pooled as standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals, utilizing fixed- or random-effects models depending on the data characteristics.
The results indicated that mindfulness interventions significantly reduced depressive symptoms, with a standardized mean difference of −1.19 and a 95% confidence interval ranging from −1.74 to −0.64. Anxiety levels also showed a substantial decrease, evidenced by a standardized mean difference of −1.43, with a 95% confidence interval from −2.48 to −0.39. Additionally, perceived stress was reduced, yielding a standardized mean difference of −0.53 and a 95% confidence interval from −0.82 to −0.24. These findings suggest that mindfulness practices may offer meaningful benefits for the psychological distress commonly experienced by individuals managing high blood pressure.
Beyond psychological outcomes, the meta-analysis observed modest reductions in blood pressure metrics. Systolic blood pressure decreased with a standardized mean difference of −2.10, with a 95% confidence interval from −3.81 to −0.38. Diastolic blood pressure also showed a reduction, with a standardized mean difference of −1.55 and a 95% confidence interval from −2.69 to −0.42.
The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, which revealed that the risk of bias was generally low to moderate across the trials. To further evaluate the strength of the findings, the authors applied the GRADE approach to determine the certainty of evidence. According to this assessment, the certainty of evidence was rated as moderate for depression, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. However, the certainty was rated as low for anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life outcomes, suggesting that while there is a signal of benefit, further research is needed to confirm these effects with higher confidence.
The authors conclude that mindfulness-based interventions improve psychological outcomes in patients with hypertension and may modestly lower blood pressure. They suggest that these interventions could support their use as a complementary strategy in hypertension management. By addressing negative emotions such as depression and anxiety, mindfulness may help improve overall disease management and patient well-being.
Subject of Research: Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on negative emotions in patients with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Article Title: Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on negative emotions in patients with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Article References: Lin, J., Lian, C., Zhou, G., Liu, J., Hua, Y., & Liu, P. (2026). Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on negative emotions in patients with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 13, Article 1941304. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2026.1941304
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1941304
Keywords: Effects, mindfulness-based, interventions, negative, emotions, patients, hypertension, systematic, review, meta-analysis, scientific research
