Massage With Clinical Observation And Mechanism Of The Antihypertensive Drug Treatment Of Hypertension

Objective - To assess the auxiliary effect of Tuina (Chinese massage)on primary hypertension and to explore the plausible mechanism for Tuina on lowering blood pressure.Methods-The study is a prospective, randomized and controlled clinical trail. Sixty-four cases, aged 40 to 70 years old, with mild primary hypertension, differentiated as hyperactivity of Liver-yang type, were allocated equally to two groups. The controlled group were treated with Nifedipine and Enalapril and the experimental group were treated with Nifedipine, Enalapril plus Tuina manipulations on the head and neck. The following measurements were taken at the start and the end of the treatment: blood pressures, heart rate, trough:peak ratio, symptoms, drug amounts, serum NO concentration, Na+ -K+ ·ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+· ATPase activity in RBC membrane,Result- Blood pressure reductions were sizable in both groups and were significantly greater for the experimental group than for controlled group. In the experimental group, trough:peak ratios were higher, drug amount were less, and symptoms were alleviated significantly. Change of serum No concentration and Na+ -K+ ·ATPase activity were significantly different between two groups.Conclusion-Drug treatment in combination with Tuina was more effective in blood pressure reduction than drug treatment alone. The plausible mechanism lies in that Tuina may improve the function of endothelium to synthesis and release more No to relax periphral small arteries. Meanwhile, Tuina may also decrease the vascular reactivity caused by endothelium-derived contracting factors.