Key result
Acupuncture showed no evidence of a sustained blood pressure lowering effect, though very low-quality evidence suggested a short-term reduction in SBP (MD -3.4 mmHg) and DBP (MD -1.9 mmHg) vs sham.
Why the study?
Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and myocardial infarction that remains challenging to control, while Traditional Chinese Medicine theory suggests acupuncture has the potential to lower blood pressure.
Does acupuncture reduce blood pressure in adults with primary hypertension?
Comparison
Acupuncture (alone or add-on) vs no treatment, sham acupuncture, or an antihypertensive drug
Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs
Authors
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No sustained BP benefit with acupuncture; confirms lack of role in hypertension while leaving short-term effects uncertain due to very low-quality evidence.
Systematic Review (n=1,744)
Does acupuncture reduce blood pressure in adults with primary hypertension?
Effect estimate: MD -3.4 mmHg (SBP), MD -1.9 mmHg (DBP) (95% CI -6.0 to -0.9 (SBP), -3.6 to -0.3 (DBP))
There is no evidence for a sustained blood pressure lowering effect of acupuncture in primary hypertension, and short-term effects are uncertain due to very low quality of evidence.
Yang et al. (2018) conducted a systematic review in Primary hypertension (n=1,744). Acupuncture vs. No treatment, sham acupuncture, or antihypertensive drug was evaluated on Change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (MD -3.4 mmHg (SBP), MD -1.9 mmHg (DBP), 95% CI -6.0 to -0.9 (SBP), -3.6 to -0.3 (DBP)). Acupuncture showed no evidence of a sustained blood pressure lowering effect, though very low-quality evidence suggested a short-term reduction in SBP (MD -3.4 mmHg) and DBP (MD -1.9 mmHg) vs sham.
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