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Integrating acupuncture into the cardiology clinic: can it play a role?

Jeannette Painovich, John Longhurst

Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA

Abstract

Despite continued improvement in risk factor recognition and aggressive medical management, heart disease remains the number one killer in the world. Medications for primary or secondary prevention of heart disease can cause unpleasant side effects leading to non-compliance. Novel therapies are needed to serve as a complement to or alternative for current medical management. Acupuncture and more specifically electroacupuncture may serve as a safe and viable option in the cardiology clinic. This review article
focuses on both mechanistic and clinical studies evaluating acupuncture’s effectiveness with symptomatic heart disease. Although continued research is needed, currently evidence warrants consideration of acupuncture’s use with myocardial ischemia, hypertension, arrhythmias, heart failure as well as autonomic dysfunction.

Key words: Acupuncture; electroacupuncture; mechanisms; cardiology

Received: 2014-06-30　　Accepted: 2014-08-21

Corresponding author: 　　E-mail:

Citing This Article：

Jeannette Painovich, John Longhurst. Integrating acupuncture into the cardiology clinic: can it play a role?. Acta Physiol Sin 2015; 67 (1): 19-31 (in Chinese with English abstract).