The Effect of Acupressure on Blood Pressure Level and Pulse Rate in Individuals With Essential Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Comparison of the Effects of Self-Administered Moxibustion versus Acupressure on Blood Pressure, Stress, Sleep Quality, and Quality of Life in Hypertensive Patients: A Randomized Parallel Trial

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an 8-week self-administered moxibustion program on blood pressure, stress, sleep quality, and quality of life in hypertensive patients. We compared its effects with those of self-acupressure to assess the feasibility of using moxibustion as a self-management method for hypertension. Forty-six subjects were recruited and randomly assigned to a moxibustion group and an acupressure group. The moxibustion group applied moxa sticks to seven acupoints by themselves five times a week for 8 weeks, while the acupressure group placed acupressure patches on the same acupoints by themselves. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. Stress was assessed with plasma epinephrine, plasma norepinephrine, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Sleep quality and quality of life were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased in the moxibustion and acupressure groups to a similar extent after the 8-week intervention. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels and PSQI variables were not changed in both groups. PSS decreased only in the moxibustion group. Quality of life related to physical health and environmental health, as assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF, significantly improved to a similar degree in both groups. Both self-administered moxibustion and acupressure therapies were effective in reducing blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

The effect of acupressure on pain level and hemodynamic parameters after coronary angiography: a randomized controlled study

Background

Subsequent to coronary angiography, procedures performed to prevent bleeding may cause pain in the patient. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of acupressure on pain level and hemodynamic parameters in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Method

In this prospective, a two-arm (1:1), randomized controlled trial was conducted, with 124 patients undergoing coronary angiography included. The randomly assigned study group (n = 62) received acupressure on the LI4 (on the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones), PC6 (three fingers above the wrist), and LI11 (at the lateral end of the transverse cubital crease) points for 15 min 2 h after angiography, while the control group (n = 62) received no acupressure. Data were collected using the visual pain scale (VAS) and hemodynamic parameters [systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂)], monitoring form before, immediately after, and at 10, 20, and 30 min after acupressure.

Results

In the study, it was found that patients had moderate pain after coronary angiography (study group: 5.02 ± 2.27; control group: 3.98 ± 1.82). When the groups were compared, it was found that the VAS score of the study group before angiography was significantly higher than that of the control group, but lower than the control group immediately after acupressure, and at 10, 20, and 30 min after acupressure. In addition, it was determined that acupressure was significantly higher in DBP and RR in the study group compared to the control group at 20 and 30 min; it was not effective in terms of SBP, HR, and SpO₂ values.

Conclusion

The results of the study indicated that patients reported moderate pain after coronary angiography, and that acupressure was effective in reducing the pain level, but affected only the DBP and RR hemodynamic parameters. Since the study was single-centered and followed for a short time, it is recommended to conduct new studies with a longer duration.

Attenuation of immobilization stress-induced hypertension by temperature-controllable warm needle acupuncture in rats and the peripheral neural mechanisms

Introduction

We and others have shown that electrical stimulation of the PC-6 acupoint over the wrist relieves hypertension by stimulating afferent sensory nerve fibers and activating the central endogenous opioid system. Warm needle acupuncture has long been utilized to treat various diseases in clinics.

Methods

Here, we developed a temperature-controllable warm needle acupuncture instrument (WAI) and investigated the peripheral mechanism underlying the effect of warm needle acupuncture at PC-6 on hypertension in a rat model of immobilization stress-induced hypertension.

Results

Stimulation with our newly developed WAI and traditional warm needle acupuncture attenuated hypertension development. Such effects were reproduced by capsaicin (a TRPV1 agonist) injection into PC-6 or WAI stimulation at 48°C. In contrast, PC-6 pretreatment with the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine blocked the antihypertensive effect of WAI stimulation at PC-6. WAI stimulation at PC-6 increased the number of dorsal root ganglia double-stained with TRPV1 and CGRP. QX-314 and capsaicin perineural injection into the median nerve for chemical ablation of small afferent nerve fibers (C-fibers) prevented the antihypertensive effect of WAI stimulation at PC-6. Additionally, PC-6 pretreatment with RTX ablated the antihypertensive effect of WAI stimulation.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that warm needle acupuncture at PC-6 activates C-fiber of median nerve and the peripheral TRPV1 receptors to attenuate the development of immobilization stress-induced hypertension in rats.

Assessment of the genotoxic effects of antihypertensive drug active ingredient indapamide in human lymphocytes

Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease and is also known as high blood pressure. The large majority of hypertensive patients need long-term administration of antihypertensive agents. Indapamide is an orally administered diuretic antihypertensive drug. The present work aimed to assess the possible genotoxic effects of indapamide using four different assays: chromosomal aberration (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), micronucleus (MN), and comet. Lymphocytes from three different donors were exposed to 18.75, 37.50, 75.00, and 100.00 μg/ml indapamide. Additionally, a negative, a positive (mitomycin C = MMC, 0.20 μg/ml), and a solvent control (5.4 μl/ml methanol) were also applied. As a result, it was seen that indapamide did not cause a significant change in CAs and MN frequencies compared to the control. It caused significant damage only at the highest concentration in the comet assay. Similarly, while it did not affect the number of SCEs in the 24-h treatment, it increased the SCE frequency at the two highest concentrations in the 48-h. Mitotic index (MI) decreased at almost all concentrations. Considering all these results, this study revealed that indapamide did not have a significant genotoxic effect in these conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation about the genotoxic effect of indapamide in human lymphocytes in vitro.