Effect of acupuncture-point
stimulation on diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive subjects: a
preliminary study.
Williams T, Mueller K, Cornwall
MW.
Havasu Samaritan Regional Hospital, Lake Havasu City, AZ
86403.
Electrical stimulation of four specific acupuncture points
(Liver 3, Stomach 36, Large Intestine 11, and the Groove for Lowering
Blood Pressure) was examined in order to determine the effect of this
stimulation on diastolic blood pressure in 10 subjects with diastolic
hypertension. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups: (1) an
Acu-ES group, which received electrical stimulation applied to the four
antihypertensive acupuncture points, and (2) a Sham-ES group, which
received electrical stimulation applied to non-acupuncture-point areas.
A repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant,
immediate poststimulation reduction of diastolic blood pressure for the
Acu-Es group versus the Sham-ES group. Further studies are needed to
determine whether there are other acupuncture points, stimulation
characteristics, or modalities that can enhance this treatment effect
and whether the treatment effect can last for a clinically significant
period of time.