Research: YEH and COLLEAGUES,

Listed in Issue 255

Abstract

YEH and COLLEAGUES, 1. School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. 2. School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; 3. Nursing Department, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. mrsaaids@hotmail.com; 4. School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Nursing Department, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.: ch4006@chgh.org.tw evaluated the effects of auricular acupressure on heart rate variability (HRV) and quality of life (QoL) in patients with hypertension.

Background

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases. Hypertensive patients who intend to control blood pressure need professional medical assistance. Auricular acupressure is a patient-dependent task, wherein a person does not have to rely on a healthcare professional to self-perform the task. The authors set out to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure on heart rate variability (HRV) and quality of life (QoL) in patients with hypertension.

Methodology

A randomized controlled trial with permuted block randomization was used. In total, 150 participants from a medical teaching hospital were randomly assigned to the experimental group that received auricular acupressure for 10 weeks, and the control group that received only routine care of equal duration. Outcomes were assessed through HRV parameters, heart rate, blood pressure, and QoL before and after the auricular acupressure intervention.

Results

After the adjustment of disease duration and mental health, a significant difference existed between the two groups in body pain (p=.03) and mental health (p=.002) of QoL, but not in HRV parameters, heart rate, blood pressure, and overall QoL (p>.05).

Conclusion

Acupressure can be applied at the acupoints of shenmen, sympathesis, kidney, liver, heart, and subcortex to improve physical pain and mental health of QoL for hypertensive patients. Auricular acupressure is acceptable and feasible although it does not support physiological benefits. Further studies are warranted to assure the effects of using auricular acupressure as an adjunctive care for patients with hypertension.

References

Yeh ML1, Chang YC2, Huang YY3, Lee TY4. A randomized controlled trial of auricular acupressure in heart rate variability and quality of life for hypertension. Complement Ther Med. 23(2):200-9. Apr 2015. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2015.01.005. Epub Jan 20 2015.

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