Effect of acupuncture on the haemodynamic system in men

Key targets of signal transduction neural mechanisms in acupuncture treatment of cardiovascular diseases: Hypothalamus and autonomic nervous system

Background

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. As a traditional Chinese treatment method, acupuncture has a unique role in restoring the balance of the human body environment. Due to its safety, non-invasive nature, and effectiveness in treating cardiovascular diseases, acupuncture has been widely welcomed and recognized among the world. A large amount of evidence shows that acupuncture can effectively regulate cardiovascular diseases through the autonomic nervous system. The hypothalamus, as an important component of regulating the autonomic nervous system, plays an important role in regulating the internal environment, maintaining homeostasis, and preserving physiological balance. However, there is currently a scarcity of review articles on acupuncture signal transduction and acupuncture improving cardiovascular disease through the hypothalamus and autonomic nervous system.

Objective

This review delves into the transduction of acupuncture signals and their neural regulatory mechanisms on the hypothalamus and autonomic nervous system, elucidating their impact on cardiovascular disease.

Methods

Review the basic and clinical studies on acupuncture signal transduction mechanisms and the role of the hypothalamus and ANS in acupuncture treatment of cardiovascular diseases published in four English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Springer Cochrane Library) and two Chinese databases (Wanfang Database and China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database) over the past 20 years.

Results

Through sensory stimulation, acupuncture effectively transmits signals from the periphery to the hypothalamus, where they are integrated, and finally regulate the autonomic nervous system to treat cardiovascular diseases.

Discussion

Acupuncture exhibits significant potential as a therapeutic modality for cardiovascular diseases by orchestrating autonomic nervous system regulation via the hypothalamus, thereby gifting novel perspectives and methodologies for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular ailments.

Comparison of Hemodynamic Changes During Acupuncture Stimulation in Supine or Sitting Position in Human Subjects

Objective

Position change influences acupuncture-induced heart rate (HR) reduction, which is caused by a somatoautonomic reflex. However, the influences of position on the hemodynamic system-including HR, blood pressure (BP), and cardiac output (CO) during acupuncture-remains unclear. This study comprehensively compared cardiovascular changes induced by acupuncture in human beings supine and sitting positions.

Materials and Methods

Comprehensive measurements were made of 30 healthy male volunteers, including HR, stroke volume (SV), and BP, in a supine posture for 15 minutes. Manual acupuncture stimulation was performed at the left LI-10 point for 1 minute. After at least 1 week, the same protocol was performed with all subjects in a sitting position.

Results

Preacupuncture, there were increases in HR and BP, and decreases in SV and CO in the sitting position, compared with the supine position. Acupuncture stimulation induced HR reduction more when the subjects were in the sitting position, compared with them in the supine position. Acupuncture-induced increase in SV and decrease in diastolic BP were not different in either position. In the sitting position, CO decreased during acupuncture, compared with preacupuncture; this did not occur in the supine position.

Conclusions

The effects of acupuncture on the hemodynamic system changed between the supine and sitting positions in healthy young men. Autonomic nervous-tone influences acupuncture-induced cardiovascular changes through physiologic responses, including the somatoautonomic reflex and the baroreflex.

Perioperative Acupuncture Optimizes Surgical Outcomes: Theory, Clinical Practice and Future Perspectives

A growing body of evidence supports the use of perioperative acupuncture as part of an enhanced postsurgical recovery protocol. Data from both clinical trials and animal studies has shown that the integration of acupuncture into perioperative patient care leads to a reduction of perioperative complications such as preoperative anxiety, intraoperative hemodynamic instability, postoperative pain, postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and postoperative nausea and vomiting in surgical patients. Despite these favorable outcomes, perioperative acupuncture has yet to be widely adopted in current anesthesia practice. This review summarized data from clinical perioperative acupuncture studies and cites recent discoveries regarding the anatomical location and characteristics of acupoint(s), acupuncture stimulation techniques, and treatment practice protocols, as well as identified the areas of deficiency in perioperative acupuncture applications. To facilitate acupuncture integration in perioperative care practice, the authors propose to establish a perioperative acupuncture registry which can be used for data mining as well as a resource for studying the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture. Through this acupuncture registry, clinical guidelines and research protocols can be established, additional large/multi-center clinical and pragmatic trials can be easily performed to determine if the integration and expansion of perioperative acupuncture practice is cost-effective.