Innovative acoustic biofeedback interventions for hypertension

Acoustic signals can modulate metabolic and central-nervous functions and can evoke physiological effects in humans. Especially the anti-hypertensive effect of certain iterative sound-patterns as possible intervention in essential hypertension patients is examined with the telemedicine based virtual laboratory we have developed. This article describes the structure, the mode of operation and the importance of the "virtual lab" and introduces the detailed results of the prospective observational study (N=20) of the acoustic biofeed-back therapy. It is shown that the acoustic sequences and sound clusters used for intervention can decrease blood pressure significantly (t-test). The reduction of blood pressure averages -2,57 mmHg for the systolic and -1,54 mmHg for the diastolic RR with a significance of 1,3 % (systolic) and 0,3% (diastolic). This is an excellent result and comparable with pharmaceutical interventions. The implemented virtual tele-medicine lab offers a great number of application options in diagnostics and therapy including an automatic intervention channel. It is possible to gather authentic data patterns in the patient's personal environment and thus to obtain - for the first time ever - an immediate, realistic impression of arbitrary intervention-structures. The virtual lab environment is there-fore an ideal development and test platform for individualized treatment, as well as for other therapeutic concepts, e.g. bio-feedback therapies. In combination with the familiar biofeed-back tools is our system an ideal addition for therapists or practitioners because they get further instruments to involve their patients actively into the therapy process at home. The measurement of various physiological parameters such as blood pressure or activity allows both, patient and therapist, a direct feedback on the efficacy of therapeutic intervention or relaxation exercises.