Objective: To explore 1. Were there different effects of acupuncture on blood pressure and heart rate between stroke patients and non-stroke patients? 2.What were the physiological or pathological features of patients who had greater variability in blood pressure and heart rate after receiving acupuncture treatment ?
Methods: A trial was conducted from October 2014 to November 2016 in Zhong-Xing Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taiwan. The participants were measured by using electronic sphygmomanometer to examine effects of acupuncture on the blood pressure and heart rate.
Results: A total of 79 participants including 42 of Group non-stroke insomnia patients and 37 of Group stroke insomnia patients were enrolled. The result showed that the heart rate of both groups decreased and their sleep quality improved after receiving acupuncture treatment. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the two groups were within the normal range. But the pulse pressure of the two groups were abnormal and the stroke group was significantly higher than insomnia group. The systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure of the stroke group might increase after receiving acupuncture treatment.
Conclusions: The decreased heart rate and improved sleep quality of both groups revealed the potential beneficial effects of acupuncture in treating insomnia. Insomnia may be related to arterial stiffness. The arterial stiffness of patients in the stroke group were more severe than in the insomnia group. Some patients had higher blood pressure after acupuncture may be due to personality stress. Acupuncture is basically a safe and effective treatment method.
Keywords:acupuncture, stroke, Insomnia, blood pressure, heart rate
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