Acupuncture improves condition after ischemic stroke.
Acupuncture may improve certain health indicators in patients after ischemic stroke against a background of hypertension, although it does not reduce the risk of recurrent stroke within a year. This conclusion was reached by Chinese researchers who conducted a randomized clinical trial involving 480 individuals. The study was published in Frontiers in Neurology.
All participants had experienced an ischemic stroke and had elevated blood pressure. They were divided into two groups: one received standard treatment, while the other received the same treatment with an additional course of acupuncture for 12 weeks. Patients were then monitored for an additional 48 weeks. It turned out that the incidence of recurrent stroke over the year did not statistically differ between the groups.
At the same time, additional acupuncture was associated with other improvements. Such patients more often restored a normal daily rhythm of diastolic blood pressure — that is, blood pressure at night decreased in a way considered physiological. They also showed more favorable blood flow indicators in the right internal carotid artery and higher quality of life scores.
The authors emphasize that acupuncture did not show an advantage in the primary outcome — the prevention of recurrent stroke. However, it may be considered as an additional supportive method that can influence well-being, vascular indicators, and blood pressure control.
