Background & Aims: Essential hypertension is one of the most important factors on quality of life and life style and the third cause of death in the world. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on improvement of quality of life and life style in patients with essential hypertension.

  Materials & Methods : In a quasi-experimental design with pre-test/post-test with control group paradigm, a sample of 30 male patients with hypertension were selected by available sampling method and randomly were assigned into two experimental (n=15) and one control group (n=15). The measurement tool was World Health Organization-Quality of life (SF-36)-Short term and health-promoting lifestyle profileII (HPLPII) Questionnaire. Each group was in drug therapy but the experimental group participated in eight sessions of cognitive-behavior therapy, while the control group did not receive any treatment. The mean scores of two groups were compared through analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

  Result s : The findings showed that cognitive behavioral therapy was effective on improvement of quality of life and life style in the patients with essential hypertension in posttest and follow up.

  Conclusion : Cognitive behavioral therapy and drug therapy could be effective on improvement of quality of life and life style in the patients with essential hypertension.

  SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2013: 24(8): 592 ISSN: 1027-3727