J Korean Acad Fundam Nurs.  2021 May;28(2):174-185. 10.7739/jkafn.2021.28.2.174.

Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Blood Pressure and Stress Responses in Adults with Prehypertension

• Lee S
• Park H

• KMID: 2516372
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7739/jkafn.2021.28.2.174

Abstract

Purpose
This study was done to examine the effects of auricular acupressure (AA) on blood pressure (BP) and stress responses in adults with prehypertension.
Methods
This single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted from September 2019 to February 2020. Participants were recruited through bulletin board notices in D city. The experimental group (n=27) received 8 weeks of AA intervention on specific acupoints (shenmen, kidney, heart, occiput, adrenal gland) to reduce blood pressure and stress, whereas the control group (n=25) received AA unspecific acupoints (helix 1-5). The outcomes were measured using BP, perceived stress scale (PSS), cortisol, and heart rate variability (HRV). Collected data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test, chi-square, Shapiro-Wilk normality test, paired t-test, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated measures ANOVA and Friedman test with the SPSS/WIN 24.0.
Results
Statistical differences were found between the groups for systolic BP (x²=85.64, p<.001), diastolic BP (x²=27.76, p=.001), PSS (F=9.439, p=.003), low frequency (F=5.22, p=.027), heart rate (F=3.208, p=.045), and HRV index (F=3.579, p=.035). Cortisol did not differ significantly between the experimental group and control group.
Conclusion
The findings show that AA leads to improvements in BP and stress responses in adults with prehypertension. Therefore, AA can be used as an alternative nursing intervention for hypertension prevention and stress management.

Keyword

Acupressure; Blood Pressure; Complementary therapy; Prehypertension; Stress; 고혈압전단계, 혈압, 스트레스, 이압요법, 보완요법