Am J Chin Med. 1989 ; 17(3-4): 111-7.

Function of myocardial contraction and relaxation in essential hypertension in dynamics of acupuncture therapy.

Radzievsky SA, Lebedeva OD, Fisenko LA, Majskaja SA.

Department of Functional Diagnostic and Clinical Physiology, All-Union Scientific Center for Medical Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, Moscow, USSR.

Forty-nine patients with initial stages of essential hypertension (EH) were investigated using phase systole analysis and echocardiography during acupuncture (reflexotherapy) treatment. It was established that even at the initial stages of EH increasing of myocardial mass and the disturbances of contractile and diastolic activity of myocardium take place. As a result of acupuncture a stable hypotensive effect, improvement or normalization of contractile function and diastolic values, a decrease of energy loss, reversal of myocardial hypertrophy were achieved. It is the decrease of sympathetic influences on the circulation system that plays an important part in the onset of these positive changes.