Blood Pressure Lowered by Acupuncture
Acupuncture decreases blood pressure in hypertensive patients*
Patients taking antihypertensive drugs such as ACE inhibitors, diuretics, and beta blockers commonly complain of fatigue, dizziness, weakness, headache and joint pain, sleeping problems, cold hands and feet, edema, depression. Also, medication does not always control high blood pressure as effectively as desired for optimal health. Research has shown that patients taking up to 3 antihypertensives which still less than optimal control had significant improvement when acupuncture was added to their care.
After being treated with acupuncture for one month every two days for a total of 15 sessions, we found significant reductions (p ? 001) in both systolic (from 163.14 +/- 19.33 to 129.49 +/- 18.52) and diastolic (from 94.37 +/- 19.70 to 79.31 +/- 7.87) blood pressures of these patients. Patient complaints were also significantly reduced. The effect of acupuncture on high blood pressure of patients using antihypertensive drugs.** `
Patients with hypertension treated with acupuncture experienced drops in their blood pressure that lasted up to a month and a half, researchers with the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine have found.
Their work is the first to scientifically confirm that this ancient Chinese practice is beneficial in treating mild to moderate hypertension, and it indicates that regular use could help people control their blood pressure and lessen their risk of stroke and heart disease.
“This clinical study is the culmination of more than a decade of bench research in this area,” said Dr. John Longhurst, a University of California, Irvine cardiologist and former director of the Samueli Center. “By using Western scientific rigor to validate an ancient Eastern therapy, we feel we have integrated Chinese and Western medicine and provided a beneficial guideline for treating a disease that affects millions in the U.S.”--UCI News
Jeffrey Russell practices Chinese Medicine and acupuncture in Louisville at Abacus Chinese Medicine. You can reach him at 502 299-8900 to discuss how Chinese Medicine and acupuncture can help you manage hypertension.
