b'A D V A N C I N G I N N O V A T I O N S I N H E A L T H C A R E P O L I C Y C A R D I O V A S C U L A R D I S E A S E A N D R I S K F A C T O R SREDUCED CAROTIDFifty-seven older adults (mean age of 74 years) were randomly ATHEROSCLEROSISassigned to either a traditional medicine multi-modality IN OLDER ADULTS program that included Transcendental Meditation, a standard American Journal ofhealth education program, or usual care, with a twelve-month Cardiology, 2002, 89,intervention period. The primary outcome was intima-media-952-958thickness (IMT), measured by B-mode ultrasound. Results showed significantly decreased IMT in the TM-traditional medicine group compared to the other combined groups. Reductions were most pronounced in the subgroup of participants with multiple coronary heart disease risk factors.RESEARCH FIELD SITE: Saint Joseph Hospital, Chicago, ILNational Institutes of HealthNational Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Specialized Center of Research Grant P50-AT00082-01 and National Institute of Aging Grant AG05735-3IMPROVEDTwenty-three African American patients hospitalized FUNCTIONALwith congestive heart failure were randomly assigned to CAPACITY IN HEARTTranscendental Meditation (TM) or health education (HE) control FAILURE PATIENTS groups. For the primary outcome of functional capacity, the Ethnicity & Disease, 2007,TM group significantly improved on the six-minute walk test 17, 72-77 from baseline to six months compared to the HE group. The TM group also showed improvements in mental health, depression, and disease-specific quality of life. The TM group had fewer re-hospitalizations during the six months of follow-up.RESEARCH FIELD SITE: Department of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PANational Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Grant P50-AT00082-0527'