Medical Research

Acupuncture for High Blood Pressure: or "what I learned from Google today"

Kristen Sparrow • July 12, 2012

I assume this is from this year, but hard to tell.  I wasn’t aware of this story and it’s quite positive! I must admit, I have excellent results with acupuncture for high blood pressure so it’s one of my favorite things to treat.  I hope to write up my findings as soon as I get some feedback on my last manuscript submission.  We have discussed Longhurst’s work here, here and here.
Study Looks at Acupuncture as Treatment for High Blood Pressure

N E W  Y O R K,   Feb. 27…

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Middle-aged Americans face a staggering 90 percent chance of developing the condition, according to a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
But the drugs used to treat it must be taken daily, usually for a lifetime. And they may have side effects, such as fatigue, depression and dizziness…
“There’s evidence from our laboratory and many other laboratories to suggest that the cells quiet down after acupuncture,” says Dr. John Longhurst professor of medicine at the University of California, Irvine.
When those cells “quiet down,” or become less active, blood vessels relax.
Clinical Trials Continue…
“A substantial number of our patients have responded with significant reductions in blood pressure,” he says.
Patients like Rip Reeves are also impressed: “In my late 30s, I was probably 145/95; with medication, I got it down to 130/80. And since I’ve been on acupuncture and not taking medication, I’ve been averaging 125/75.”
Perhaps most amazing, acupuncture’s benefit can be long lasting. Some patients who received the acupuncture treatment nine months ago still have normal blood pressure.
“The implication,” says Zusman, “is that 12 acupuncture treatments over a six-week period will produce a cure.”
In this case, the doctors defined “cure” as maintaining normal blood pressure for one year without medication. And that, for some patients, may now be within their reach.