08 May 2018 : Meta-Analysis
Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture for Essential Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis
Hao ChenACDE, Fei-er ShenACDE, Xiao-dong TanBF, Wen-bo JiangBF, Yi-huang GuAGDOI: 10.12659/MSM.909995
Med Sci Monit 2018; 24: MTA2946-2969
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for patients with hypertension.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the Wan-fang Data Database from inception through 29 April 2017. Randomized controlled trials investigating acupuncture therapy for hypertension were included. Review Manager 5.3 software was used for the data analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 30 RCTs involving 2107 patients were included. The overall methodological quality of the included studies was low. Pooled results demonstrate that acupuncture plus anti-hypertensive drugs is better than anti-hypertensive drugs alone at reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP). The same result was observed for pooled data from experiments that compared acupuncture plus medication to sham acupuncture plus medication at reducing SBP and DBP. However, studies reveal that using acupuncture alone or anti-hypertensive drugs alone do not differ in the effect on lowering blood pressure. Similarly, acupuncture alone also did not differ from sham acupuncture alone, and electroacupuncture versus anti-hypertensive drugs was not significantly different at reducing SBP and DBP.
CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review indicates there is inadequate high quality evidence that acupuncture therapy is useful in treating hypertension, as the exact effect and safety of acupuncture therapy for hypertension is still unclear. Therefore, research with larger sample sizes and higher-quality RCTs is still needed.
Keywords: Acupuncture, essential hypertension, meta-analysis, Randomized controlled trial
Editorial
01 December 2021 : Editorial
Editorial: Cardiovascular Complications at One Year After SARS-CoV-2 Infection are Independent of Underlying Cardiovascular Risk Factors or Severity of COVID-19DOI: 10.12659/MSM.937048
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937048
SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19
04 May 2022 : Clinical Research
Effects of Wearing Face Masks on Exercise Capacity and Ventilatory Anaerobic Threshold in Healthy Subjects ...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.936069
22 April 2022 : Clinical Research
Factors Associated with Falls During Hospitalization for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.936547
27 April 2022 : Meta-Analysis
Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Serum Vitamin D Levels in People Under Age 18 Years: A Systematic Review...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.935823
01 December 2021 : Clinical Research
COVID-19: Another Cause of Dental Anxiety?Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e936535
In Press
20 May 2022 : Clinical Research
Efficacy of Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized 3-...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.936614
19 May 2022 : Clinical Research
Association Between Serum Homocysteine Levels and Severity of Diabetic Kidney Disease in 489 Patients with ...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.936323
18 May 2022 : Clinical Research
Physical and Psychosocial Concept Domains Related to Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) in 50 Girls and ...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.936801
18 May 2022 : Clinical Research
Association Between Variants of the Mannose-Binding Lectin 2 Gene and Susceptibility to Sepsis in the Haina...Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.936134
Most Viewed Current Articles
31 Dec 1969 : Clinical Research
Retrospective Study of Outcomes and Hospitalization Rates of Patients in Italy with a Confirmed Diagnosis o...DOI :10.12659/MSM.935379
Med Sci Monit 2021; 27:e935379
31 Dec 1969 : Review article
A Review of the Potential Roles of Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Pharmacological Approaches for the Man...DOI :10.12659/MSM.936292
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e936292
31 Dec 1969 : Review article
Long-Term Respiratory and Neurological Sequelae of COVID-19DOI :10.12659/MSM.928996
Med Sci Monit 2020; 26:e928996
31 Dec 1969 : Editorial
Editorial: Current Status of Oral Antiviral Drug Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Non-Hospitalized Pa...DOI :10.12659/MSM.935952
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e935952