Clinical Observations on Acupuncture at Taichong and Zusanli for Treating Hypertension

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Taichong(LR3) and Zusanli(ST36) in hypertension. Methods Forty-sixty patients diagnose exactly with hypertension were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups. The treatment group received acupuncture at Taichong and Zusanli twice, in the morning and afternoon respectively, every day and the control group took placebo 2 tablets twice daily. One course of treatment consisted of 7 days in both groups. Blood pressure was measured in the patients, The therapeutic effects were evaluated in the two groups after two courses of treatment. Results The expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) increased gradually after acupuncture and most obviously at the fourteenth day in the treatment group, when it increased markedly compared with the control group in which it did not increased obviously. After treatment, both systolic and diastolic pressures fell in the two groups and diastolic pressure fell significantly more in the treatment group than in the control group. Conclusion Acupuncture at Taichong and Zusanli can effectively reduce blood pressure in hypertension patients.