Abstract The use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has obtained more and more acceptance all over the world due to its multi-target and multi-level function characteristics. Clopidogrel is a major therapeutic option to reduce atherothrombotic events in patients with acute coronary syndrome, recent myocardial infarction, recent stroke or established peripheral arterial disease. These patients probably take TCM. Are there any interactions between clopidogrel and TCM? Whether TCM will affect the efficacy of clopidogrel or increase the adverse reactions of bleeding? Clarifying this information will help physicians make better use of TCM. A literature search was carried out using Web of...Weiterlesen

Abstract The increased resting heart rate (HR) in heart transplant patients is associated with enhanced metabolic demand, the potential for fatigue, and lower quality of life. In the present study, we hypothesized that transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) could modulate autonomic balance and reduce resting HR in these patients. A single-arm clinical trial was conducted with patients aged > 18 years, at ambulatorial accompaniment after heart transplantation, who were submitted to a single TEAS (40 minutes at pericardium channel acupoints PC5 and PC6). The arterial blood pressure and RR interval were recorded from 20 minutes before to 20 minutes after...Weiterlesen

Abstract Importance The effects of acupuncture as adjunctive treatment to antianginal therapies for patients with chronic stable angina are uncertain. Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy to antianginal therapies in reducing frequency of angina attacks in patients with chronic stable angina. Design, Setting, and Participants In this 20-week randomized clinical trial conducted in outpatient and inpatient settings at 5 clinical centers in China from October 10, 2012, to September 19, 2015, 404 participants were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture on the acupoints on the disease-affected meridian (DAM), receive acupuncture on the acupoints on the...Weiterlesen

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of Gua Sha therapy in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DNP). DESIGN: An open-label randomized controlled study was conducted with usual care as the control (60 subjects in Gua Sha group and 59 subjects in usual care group). Outcome measures included Toronto Clinical Scoring System (TCSS), Vibration Perception Threshold (VPT), Ankle Brachial Index (ABI), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). There were 12 consecutive sessions of Gua Sha, one session per week. RESULTS: After the first cycle of Gua Sha intervention, only performance of sensory function measured by the VPT, and peripheral artery disease...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture, for the westerns countries, is an innovative and low-cost therapy for treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, most of its effects and mechanisms are poorly understood. Thus, the objective of this work was to systematically review the literature regarding the clinical effects of acupuncture for the treatment and prevention of CVDs. A search for papers published in English or Portuguese in the past 20 years was conducted at PubMed, SciELO, and PEDro databases. Clinical trials conducted on the effects of acupuncture were included in this review. Two reviewers extracted the data independently from the remaining 17 articles after screening. The most...Weiterlesen

Original Titel: The effect of ginger supplementation on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials Erhöhte Blutfette stellen einen großen Risikofaktor für die koronare Herzkrankheit dar. Ingwer könnte helfen, diese zu senken, wie die vorliegende Studie zeigte. Hierbei schien jedoch weniger mehr zu sein. Erhöhte Blutfettwerte sind eine Hauptursache für die koronare Herzkrankheit. Diese zu senken ist somit wichtig, um der KHK vorzubeugen. Doch auch bei bereits bestehender Erkrankung ist es wichtig, eventuell zu hohe Blutfette zu senken, um das Risiko für Folgeerkrankungen wie z. B. einen Herzinfarkt zu reduzieren. In der Regel werden hierfür Statine eingesetzt, doch auch Ingwer wird eine blutfettsenkende Wirkung...Weiterlesen

Original Titel: Association of traditional Chinese medicine therapy and the risk of dementia in patients with hypertension: a nationwide population-based cohort study. In früheren Studien wurde ein erhöhten Demenzrisiko von Bluthochdruckpatienten berichtet. Bluthochdruck wird oft mit alternativen Methoden, in Taiwan am häufigsten mit Traditioneller chinesischer Medizin (TCM), behandelt. Bisher ist es jedoch unklar, ob diese Behandlung auch das Demenzrisiko der Patienten senken könnte. Ziel der taiwanesischen Studie von Chen und Kollegen (2017) war es daher, den Effekt von TCM auf das Demenzrisiko bei Bluthochdruckpatienten zu untersuchen. Die Studie rekrutierte 143.382 Patienten aus der Taiwanesischen nationalen Krankenversicherungs-Forschungsdatenbank, bei denen gerade Bluthochdruck...Weiterlesen

Patients with hypertension treated with acupuncture experienced drops in their blood pressure that lasted up to a month and a half, researchers with the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine have found. Their work is the first to scientifically confirm that this ancient Chinese practice is beneficial in treating mild to moderate hypertension, and it indicates that regular use could help people control their blood pressure and lessen their risk of stroke and heart disease. “This clinical study is the culmination of more than a decade of bench research in this area,” said Dr. John Longhurst, a University of California,...Weiterlesen

ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate the efficacy of a laser acupuncture protocol developed and applied by nurses in arterial hypertension patients. Method: randomized, multicenter, triple-blind and two-armed clinical trial. The sample consisted of 102 participants, 51 per arm, both sexes, aged between 30 and 75 years, undergoing drug therapy for a year or more, with difficulty to control blood pressure, maintaining regular measures >140×90 mmHg. Participants underwent six standard or simulated laser-acupuncture sessions, for 24 minutes, within a period of six weeks. Descriptive analyzes expressed as frequencies of occurrences, means and medians were used, and analysis of the association between variables...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupuncture and massage on health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) among end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Design: Pre-post test design. Setting: A hemodialysis (HD) unit located in a university hospital. Intervention: Participants were given the option to choose between 20 min sessions of massage or acupuncture therapy once a week for 8 weeks by licensed acupuncturists and massage therapists while undergoing their usual HD session in the University of California, San Diego Chronic HD unit. Outcome measures: Participants were asked to complete pre- and postintervention surveys, which consisted...Weiterlesen