How Music Impacts Blood Pressure Meds

Who should patients with hypertension listen to in order to enhance the effect of their blood pressure medications?

a. Springsteen

b. Elvis

c. Beyonce

d. Beethoven

Answer: d

Bruce is the Boss, Elvis is the King, and Beyonce is the Queen Bee, but it’s Beethoven who has the potential to increase the impact of blood pressure medications.

How? The body’s sympathetic nervous system speeds up heart rate and constricts blood vessels to raise blood pressure, while the parasympathetic nervous system takes over when the body is at rest to slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Classical music activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces sympathetic activity, according to Dr. Vitor Valenti, a professor at UNESP Marília’s School of Philosophy & Sciences (FFC) in Brazil. His recent research measured the heart variability of patients at 20, 40, and 60 minutes after they took oral anti-hypertensive medications first while they listened to classical music and again without music.

The patients’ heart rates slowed significantly, and their blood pressure dropped over the 60-minute test when they listened to music, but not when taking the medications without musical accompaniment. It’s not entirely known why music increased the effect of blood pressure medications, but Dr. Valenti pointed out that stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system increases gastrointestinal activity, which could speed up absorption.

Relaxing music has been proven to help lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients, but Dr. Valenti said this is the first study to show classical tunes influence how medications impact heart variability and blood pressure.

—Dan Cook

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