TEAS promising for hypertension

TEAS promising for hypertension

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is a promising complementary therapy for hypertension, conclude the authors of a study carried out in China. A total of 120 hypertensive patients were randomised into three groups: TEAS at 2Hz, TEAS at 10Hz and usual care control. All participants continued their usual antihypertensive medication regimens, while those in the TEAS groups received additional TEAS therapy three times weekly for four weeks, followed by a four-week follow-up. TEAS was administered using the transcutaneous stimulation mode of an electro-acupuncture device, applied at bilateral acupoints Quchi L.I.-11, Hegu L.I.-4, Neiguan P-6, Ximen P-4, Zusanli ST-36 and Taichong LIV-3. The primary outcome, change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) from baseline to week 4, showed significant reductions in both TEAS groups compared with the control group. The TEAS-2Hz group experienced a mean SBP reduction of -4.70 mmHg, while the TEAS-10Hz group saw a significantly greater decrease of -8.66 mmHg. Both TEAS groups demonstrated improvements in diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, heart rate  and heart rate variability parameters, indicating better autonomic nervous system regulation. (Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation at different frequencies on mild hypertension: A randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med. 2024 Dec:87:103103).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39454736/