Efficacy and safety of community‐based moxibustion for primary hypertension: A randomized controlled trial with patient preference arms

Abstract

Moxibustion has been shown to have a potential antihypertensive effect, but its applicability for the primary care of hypertension is unclear. The authors conducted a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) with patient preference arms to investigate the effect, safety, cost‐effectiveness, and compliance of moxibustion in community patients with hypertension. Patients with primary hypertension were enrolled from seven communities randomly or nonrandomly assigned to receive self‐administered moxibustion + the original hypertensive regimen or the original hypertensive regimen alone for 6 months. The authors mainly evaluated the effects of moxibustion on hypertensive outcomes and adverse events. As a result, a total of 160 and 240 patients were recruited into the randomized and nonrandomized arms, respectively, with 87.5% completing the follow‐up. At month 6, there was a significantly greater reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (difference: −10.57 mmHg), a higher proportion of responders (82.2% vs. 53.7%; odds ratio 4.00), and better improvements in hypertensive symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in the moxibustion group than in the control group in the randomized population, but there was no significant between‐group difference in diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The nonrandomized findings showed the same effect direction for all outcomes, except for DBP. All moxibustion‐related adverse events were mild. In conclusion, moxibustion can reduce SBP and improve hypertensive symptoms and QoL in community patients with hypertension, with good safety and low cost, although its effect on DBP remains uncertain. The findings suggest that moxibustion may be an appropriate technique for community primary care of hypertension.

Efficacy and safety evaluation of Allisartan Isoproxil in patients with hypertension: a meta-analysis

“…Primary outcomes included SBP and DBP, while secondary outcomes encompassed brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin (ET), and effective blood pressure control rate. Effective blood pressure control was defined as SBP/DBP values below 140 mmHg/90 mmHg or a reduction of at least 20 mmHg in SBP and/or 10 mmHg in DBP ( 31 , 32 ). Safety indicators encompassed the assessment of AE related to drug treatment during the study.…”