OBJECTIVETo compare the differences of clinical effects on primary hypertension between acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking and western medicine.

METHODSNinety patients with primary hypertension were randomly divided into a medication group and a combination group, 45 cases in each group. In the medication group, captopril tablets were treated with oral administration, 12.5 mg each time, twice a day; in the combination group, acupuncture and auricular point sticking were used, and acupuncture was applied at Renying (ST 9), Fengchi (GB 20) and Baihui (GV 20), while auricular point sticking was adopted at Shenmen (TF4), Xin (CO15), Jiangyagou and Jiaogan (AH6a), once a day for continuous 4 weeks. After treatment, the changes of 24 h ambulatory blood pressure, angiotensin II (Ang II) level, creatinine level and syndrome scores were observed and the clinical efficacy was assessed in the two groups.

RESULTSAfter 4 weeks' treatment, the 24 h ambulatory blood pressure was both improved compared with that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). The reducing of 24 h ambulatory blood pressure in the combination group was superior to that in the medication group (P<0.05). There were reducing tendencies about coefficients of variation (CVs) of the two groups, and in the combination group, the CVs of 24 h ambulatory blood pressure and systolic pressure acquired more obvious reducing range compared with the medication group (both P<0.05). Serum Ang II level and plasma creatinine level of the patients in the two groups after treatment were both decreased (both P<0.05) and the reducing of Ang II level and creatinine level of the combination group was more obvious than that of the medication group (both P<0.05). The syndrome scores of the two groups after treatment were both remarkably decreased (both P<0.05), and the reducing of the syndrome scores of the combination group was more marked than that of the medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the combination group was 95.6% (43/45), which was superior to 71.1% (32/45) of the medication group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined with auricular point sticking for primary hypertension has reliable effect. It is better than captopril for the improvement of 24 h ambulatory blood pressure, AngII level and creatinine level, and can improve dizzy, palpitation and other clinical symptoms.