National Institutes of Health awards $1.6 million research grant
to Maharishi University of Management

FAIRFIELD, IA-Researchers at Maharishi University of Management (M.U.M.) were recently awarded a $1.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to conduct research on the effects of the Transcendental Meditation® technique in preventing heart attacks, strokes and mortality in high-risk African Americans.

"This is an historic grant. It is the first time that funding for clinical research has been awarded to explore the Transcendental Meditation technique as a preventive intervention for people at high risk for cardiovascular disease," said Robert Schneider, M.D., Dean of M.U.M. College of Maharishi Vedic Medicine. Dr. Schneider is leading the research with Charles Alexander, Ph.D., Chair of M.U.M. Psychology Department.

This latest award brings the total amount of N.I.H. funding to over $5 million to the M.U.M. Center for Health and Aging Studies to support research on treating hypertension and cardiovascular disease-a key risk factor in heart attacks and strokes.

The American Heart Association's journal Hypertension, published two studies (Nov. 1995 and Aug. 1996) which, among other findings, reported that the Transcendental Meditation technique-one of the aspects of Maharishi Vedic Medicine-produced blood pressure reductions comparable to those commonly found with anti-hypertensive medication, but without the harmful side effects.

"These studies demonstrated the efficacy of the TM program in reducing high blood pressure in hypertensive patients," Dr. Schneider said. "Moreover, a recent pilot study showed a more than 50 percent reduction in mortality rate from heart disease and all causes over a five-year period in participants practicing the TM program compared to controls. Not every therapy that reduces high

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blood pressure reduces heart attacks. In fact, several anti-hypertensive drugs, such as some widely prescribed calcium channel blockers, have been found to increase the risk of heart attacks."

The M.U.M. study will be a large, randomized, controlled four-year trial, conducted in collaboration with a medical school in the Midwest. The study will:

(1) compare the impact of the Transcendental Meditation technique with health education control programs on preventing cardiovascular disease-heart attacks, strokes, coronary bypass artery surgery, and mortality in high risk individuals.

(2) evaluate the TM program in lowering high blood pressure, stress and other cardiovascular risk factors as mechanisms for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

• To interview researchers, call (515) 472-1134
• For American Heart Association news release, see AHA website: www.amhrt.org/news/964433.html
• For the August 1996, Hypertension study abstract, see: www.@home.com/get_doc/792222/7784
• For more information on the Transcendental Meditation program see: www.tm.org
• For information on Maharishi University of Management see: www.mum.edu