Truly Man's Best Friend
Dateline: 11/11/99
ACE inhibitors have long been used to curb high blood pressure. The inhibitors work well when the recipient is not under duress but they don't work as effectively when stress rises. New research conducted by the University of Buffalo suggests that having a friend helps stem the tide of rising blood pressure. The researchers found that man's best friend (namely dogs as well as cats) helps to lower blood pressure.
In the study, the researchers measured the effects of having a social support system on:
- Heart Rate
- Blood Pressure
- Renin Activity
Twenty-four of the members of the group were randomly selected to add a cat or a dog to their treatment regimen. The other 24 members served as the control group as they did not add a cat or dog to their regimen. All participants had blood pressure readings over 140/90 hg/ml. There were 24 female participants and 24 male participants. All were in good health and had no other medical complications. In addition, all lived alone and had not had a pet in the last five years.
Interestingly enough, the researchers found that the heart rate, blood pressure, and renin activity of people with animal companions all remained significantly more stable during duress when compared to the control group. The researchers noted that the addition of a pet was especially helpful if a person had a limited support system.
This was the first study to both assess participants before and after purchasing a pet and to compare random participants with pets to a control group.
Previous research has shown that owning a pet can be an excellent substitute for human companionship in terms of the physiological benefits.
What do you think? What other therapeutic effects might pets and/or social support systems have? How important do you think social support systems are during times of duress? Come on over to the Biology Forum to share your thoughts, feelings, and opinions.
For additional information see:
- Pet Dog or Cat Controls Blood Pressure Better Than ACE Inhibitor, UB Study of Stockbrokers Finds
News release from Science Daily. - Animal Cams
Resources and information about live animal cams. - Therapeutic Health Benefits of Aquariums
"Do aquariums reduce stress and offer human health benefits?"
