Susan Samueli Center Research Shows Acupuncture Can Lower Blood Pressure as Much...

Susan Samueli Center Research Shows Acupuncture Can Lower Blood Pressure as Much as 40 Percent

Weekly 30-Minute Sessions Can Lead to 15-25 mmHg Systolic Pressure
Reductions in Three to Four Weeks
IRVINE, Calif.--(Business Wire)--The Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the
University of California, Irvine, dedicated to advancing patient care
through education, evidence-based research and applied integrative
medical therapies, today released findings that show acupuncture can
help normalize blood pressure -- lower pressure when it is elevated or
raise pressure when it is too low -- and complements treatments for
cardiovascular patients. The Center found that acupuncture combined
with low levels of electrical stimulation can lower elevations in
blood pressure by as much as 40 percent.

In treating patients at their clinics, the Center also found
once-weekly 30-minute acupuncture sessions will give substantial
pressure reductions of 15-25 mmHg in three to four weeks. Acupuncture
is a 3,000-year-old form of Chinese medicine that involves inserting
needles at specific points on the body to help cure disease or relieve
pain.

"At the Samueli Center, we are dedicated to promoting the
integration of ancient healing practices with modern medical
treatments to help develop optimum treatment solutions for patients,"
said Dr. John Longhurst, director of the Susan Samueli Center for
Integrative Medicine and study leader. "We believe these new findings
on acupuncture and hypertension will help educate both Western and
alternative medical practitioners while encouraging dialog on
developing integrative treatment solutions."

An Alternative Solution

Though drug therapy and healthy lifestyle changes related to diet,
exercise and weight loss are typically employed to treat high blood
pressure, some patients are looking for alternative solutions. "In our
real world of clinical practice, we're encountering patients who find
it difficult to make these changes or who continue to have high
pressure despite making real changes. They're looking for something
else, and acupuncture is a potential solution that's relaxing and
relatively painless," said Dr. Longhurst.

Slow Onset, Prolonged Effects

The Samueli Center's research also found that acupuncture has a
slow onset and prolonged effect. If treatments were stopped, the
pressure would stay down for another month or so, and then comes back
up over a period of weeks.

How it Works

Elevated blood pressure is due to either increased vascular
constriction and stiffness, or to the heart pumping excess volume into
the blood vessels. Diuretics and other antihypertensives typically
help with the latter; acupuncture appears to help with the former.
Other recent studies from the Susan Samueli Center indicate that
acupuncture relaxes vessels mainly through action in the central
nervous system. For additional information on the Center's research
findings or to schedule an interview with Dr. Longhurst, please
contact the Center's public relations agency listed below.

About SSCIM

Founded in 2000, The Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine
at UCI successfully promotes integrative medicine by conducting
rigorous fundamental and clinical research on complementary healing
practices; educating medical students, health professionals and the
public about these practices, and creating a model of clinical care
that emphasizes healing the whole person. The Center is rapidly
becoming recognized for providing new knowledge bridging complementary
and conventional treatments - all for the singular purpose of
achieving better health. For more information or to make an
appointment, contact the Center at (949) 824-5763 or visit
www.sscim.uci.edu.

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