Non-invasive treatment to grade 1 essential hypertension by percutaneous laser and electric pulse to acupoint with music: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To study a non-drug therapy for hypertension disease by combining percutaneous laser and electric pulse stimulation to acupoint with music, and to test the efficiency of the combining treatment to grade 1 essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 174 patients with grade 1 essential hypertension were randomly assigned to 3 groups with a random number table after Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome differentiation: the photoelectric and musical treatment group (Group 1, with a self-developed multi-mode audio frequency pulse photoelectric therapeutic apparatus), acupuncture group (Group 2), and oral placebo group (Group 3), 58 cases per group. The curative effect of each group was evaluated by the changes of blood pressure and CM syndrome integral before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with Group 3, there were significant decrease of blood pressure and CM syndrome integral in Group 1 and Group 2 (P<0.01). Compared with Group 2, Group 1 showed the highest decrease in systolic pressure (P<0.017). The total effective rate of anti-hypertension in Group 1 (91.38%, 53/58) was significantly higher than that in Group 2 (74.13%, 43/58) and Group 3 (18.97%, 11/58, P<0.05 or P<0.01); and that in Group 2 was also significantly higher than that in Group 3 (P<0.01). There were significant difference in the total effective rate of CM syndrome integral in both Group 1 (93.10%, 54/58) and Group 2 (84.48%, 49/58) as compared with Group 3 (17.24%, 10/58, P<0.01), while there was no significant difference between Group 1 and Group 2 (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The multi-mode audio frequency pulse photoelectric therapeutic apparatus, combining music, laser and electric pulse stimulation, is clinically useful for grade 1 essential hypertension. This "three in one" therapy method is non-invasive, easy and simple to handle. It is expected to be popularized as a new alternative treatment.

[Clinical research on electrode and laser stimulating on acupoint combined with music therapy for grade 1 essential hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To explore safe, effective, simple and easy non-drug treatments for grade 1 essential hypertension. METHODS: According to TCM syndrome differentiation, 126 cases of grade 1 essential hypertension were classified into 4 types: liver-fire hyperactivity syndrome, yin-deficiency and yang-hyperactivity syndrome, excessive phlegm-dampness syndrome, yin-yang deficiency syndrome, and then the patients were randomly divided into a photoelectric combined with musical treatment group (group A), an acupuncture group(group B) and a placebo group (group C). The acupoints were selected according to TCM syndrome differentiation in group A and group B, and multi-mode audio frequency pulse photoelectric therapeutic apparatus and acupuncture were used in the two groups respectively, once daily. Taichong (LR 3) and Quchi (LI 11) were selected in liver-fire hyperactivity syndrome, Taixi (KI 3) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected yi yin-deficiency and yang-hyperactivity syndrome, Zusanli (ST 36) and Fenglong (ST 40) were selected in excessive phlegm-dampness syndrome, while Taixi (KI 3) and Guanyuan (CV 4) were selected yi yirryang deficiency syndrome. The group C was treated with oral administration of starch tablet (25 mg), one tablet each time,three times everyday. Ten days were considered as one course, totally three courses were required in the three groups. The blood pressure and scores of TCM syndromes before and after treatment were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: The blood pressure decreased significantly after treatment in group A and group B (all P<0.01), and the decrease in systolic blood pressure was more significant in group A (P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 90.5 / (38/42) in group A, which was superior to 71. 4 (30/42, P < 0.05) in group B and 19.1% (18/34, P<0. 01) in group C. The scores of TCM syndromes were both improved in group A and group B, but without significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinical effect of multi-mode audio frequency pulse photoelectric therapeutic apparatus for treatment of grade 1 essential hypertension is reliable. Meanwhile, it has the advantages of a non-invasive and simple operation.

Pulse width modulation electro-acupuncture on cardiovascular remodeling and plasma nitric oxide in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of pulse width modulation electro-acupuncture (PWM-EA) on cardiovascular remodeling and nitric oxide (NO) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Thirty-four male SHR were randomly divided into control, captopril, and two PWM-EA groups, which were treated with 350 Hz (SHR-350 Hz) and whole audio bandwith electro-acupuncture (SHR-WAB group) respectively, on the ST 36 point located on the outside of the hind leg. Systolic blood pressure (BP), plasma and myocardial NO were measured. Histological studies were also performed on the aortic wall and the left ventricle. The BP in the SHR-350 Hz, SHR-WAB and the captopril groups was lower than in the control group following the treatment (P < .05). The average aortic media wall thickness in the two electro-acupuncture groups was less than in the control group (P < .05). The left ventricle/heart weight ratio in the captopril and SHR-350 Hz groups was less than in the control group (P < .01), but was similar between the SHR-WAB and the control group (P > .05). The plasma and myocardium NO levels were elevated in the captopril and the SHR-350 Hz group (P < .05 and .01, resp.). The plasma level of NO in the SHR-WAB group was also higher than in the control group (P < .05). We concluded that pulse width modulation electro-acupuncture on the ST 36 point prevents the progression of hypertension and diminishes the cardiovascular remodeling in SHR. It also elevates plasma and cardiac NO in this animal model.