[Clinical observation on therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture at Quchi (LI 11) for treatment of essential hypertension].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Quchi (LI 11) on blood pressure and blood plasma catecholamines in the patient of essential hypertension and to investigate the mechanism.

METHODS

Sixty cases of essential hypertension were randomly divided into an EA group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). In the EA group, bilateral Quchi (LI 11) were selected; and in the control group, western medicine Nicardipine was taken. The variation of blood pressure and blood plasma catecholamines were examined before and after the treatment.

RESULTS

(1) After treatment, there were significant reduction in the levels of systolic blood pressure and diastole blood pressure in both groups (P < 0.01); (2) After treatment, significant reduction in levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline were also found in both groups (P < 0.01), however, no significant differences in the level of dopamine were observed in both groups (P > 0.05); (3) The effective rate of 66.7% in the EA group was similar to that of 70.0% in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both EA at Quchi (LI 11) and western medicine are able to beneficially regulate blood pressure of patients with essential hypertension through adjusting blood plasma catecholamines.