Two-week aroma inhalation effects on blood pressure in young men with essential hypertension

AimThe purpose of this study is to assess the effects of two-week aroma inhalation on lowering the blood pressure of young patients with hypertension compared with a saline-treated control group.Participants and methodsForty newly enlisted soldiers undergoing training before placement diagnosed with hypertension were allocated non-randomly either a 2 week-essential oil aroma inhalation (n = 20) or saline solution control (n = 20). Outcome measures were blood pressure, 24-h ambulatory blood pressures and pulse rate on before, days 2, 5, 9, 12, 14 and 15.ResultsThere were significant differences between the two groups, before treatment and 15 days after treatment, in the systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p = 0.001) and pulse rate (p = 0.02). In addition, the 24-h ambulatory full-time SBP (F = 6.16, p = 0.02), DBP (F = 7.48, p = 0.01) and PR (F = 4.59, p = 0.04) were all significantly different between the two groups (values measured before and after the two-week treatment). When the daytime and nighttime blood pressures were analysed separately, the daytime SBP (F = 4.82, p = 0.03) and DBP (F = 5.68, p = 0.02) demonstrated significant differences, but daytime PR, nighttime BP and PR did not.ConclusionA 2 week-aroma oil inhalation lowered the clinic blood pressures and pulse rates measured in the short-term use study. Lower SBP and 24-h ambulatory blood pressures were observed in the long-term use study.