Home-based transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for hypertension: a randomized controlled pilot trial

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Integrative and Complementary Medicine
• Clinical Trial Research

Background:

• Hypertension is a major global health concern requiring effective management strategies.
• Conventional treatments include antihypertensive drugs and lifestyle modifications.
• Exploring novel, non-pharmacological interventions is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and efficacy of home-based transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) as an adjunct therapy for hypertension.
• To evaluate the impact of TEAS on systolic blood pressure reduction in hypertensive patients.

Main Methods:

• A randomized pilot trial involving 60 hypertension patients.
• Participants were assigned to either TEAS (4 weekly sessions for 12 weeks at home) or usual care.
• Primary outcome: change in office systolic blood pressure from baseline to week 12.

Main Results:

• The TEAS group showed a significantly greater reduction in systolic blood pressure (-8.53 mm Hg) compared to the usual care group (-1.70 mm Hg) at week 12.
• The between-group difference in systolic blood pressure reduction was -6.83 mm Hg (P=0.014).
• No adverse events related to TEAS were reported, indicating good safety and feasibility.

Conclusions:

• Home-based TEAS is a safe and feasible complementary treatment for hypertension.
• TEAS may represent a promising non-pharmacological option for managing hypertension.
• Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are recommended to confirm these findings.