| Abstract: | Objective: Previous animal and clinical studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective alternative treatment in the management of stages I and II hypertension; however, information is still limited for stage III hypertension.In this study, we assessed the acute cardiohemodynamic and electrophysiological effects ofelectroacupuncture in the chronic atrioventricular block canine model with severe hypertension and heart failure(n=4).Methods: Seven sessions of electroacupuncture were performed for 2 weeks.In each session, needles were inserted at Renying(ST9) and Taichong(LR3), and then an electroacupuncture protocol consisting of 2 Hz frequency and 2 mA amplitude was carried out for 30 min with a Han's acupoint nerve stimulator.The animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital in the initial and last sessions to estimate the acute and chronic cardiohemodynamic and electrophysiological effects of electroacupuncture.Results: Ventricular rate decreased during continuous stimulation at the first and the seventh sessions(P0.05).Mean blood pressure increased and atrial rate decreased only during the first stimulation(P0.05).There was no significant change in the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, double product, and QRS width or QT interval during electrical stimulation in the first and the seventh sessions.There was no significant difference in any time-matched variable between those two sessions.Conclusion: These results suggest that electroacupuncture may rather expose a risk for hypertension crisis by a short application and that 7 sessions of treatment by electroacupuncture for 2 weeks might not be enough to lower the blood pressure in this special canine model. |
