High blood pressure is extremely common, affecting one in three of the adult population, and usually requires lifelong treatment with medication. Acupuncture can reduce blood pressure – by an average of 10mm of mercury pressure – in hypertensive patients.1 2
This is similar to the effects of many of the most commonly used drugs to treat hypertension. Treatment may be needed at least twice weekly and the beneficial effect does not persist once acupuncture is stopped. So, like medication, treatment may need to be long-term.
1. Yin C, Seo B, Park H-J, Cho M, Jung W, et al. Acupuncture, a promising adjunctive therapy for essential hypertension: a double-blind randomized, controlled trial. Neurological Research 2007; 29 Suppl 1: S98-103.
2. Flachskampf FA, Gallasch J, Gefeller O, Gan J et al. Randomized trial of acupuncture to lower blood pressure. Circulation 2007; 115: 3121-9.
This is similar to the effects of many of the most commonly used drugs to treat hypertension. Treatment may be needed at least twice weekly and the beneficial effect does not persist once acupuncture is stopped. So, like medication, treatment may need to be long-term.
1. Yin C, Seo B, Park H-J, Cho M, Jung W, et al. Acupuncture, a promising adjunctive therapy for essential hypertension: a double-blind randomized, controlled trial. Neurological Research 2007; 29 Suppl 1: S98-103.
2. Flachskampf FA, Gallasch J, Gefeller O, Gan J et al. Randomized trial of acupuncture to lower blood pressure. Circulation 2007; 115: 3121-9.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)