研究人員發現：在大鼠中使用針刺以及電刺激能夠將升高的血壓下降50％之多。2005年3月份的《應用生理學期刊》報道了這些結果。

研究小組將血壓被人為升高的受測試大鼠前肢的特定穴位上進行針刺，但是針刺沒有效果。隨后，研究小組在針刺治療之外加上了電刺激，將電流通過針刺針。高頻刺激沒有效果，但是較低水平將血壓降低了40～50％。受測試大鼠接受30分鐘的治療之后，升高的血壓被降低了25mmHg，這種作用持續了大約2小時。治療只在高血壓大鼠中有作用，顯示對常規血壓的大鼠沒有影響。

美國歐文市加利福尼亞大學(UCI, USA)Susan Samueli結合醫學中心主任John C.Longhurst博士說：“西方世界正在等待對針刺治療方法科學根據的明確闡釋，我們希望這項研究能夠最終將古老的治療方法與當代醫學治療手段有機結合起來。”

在早期的研究中UCI研究人員發現：當針刺針刺入腕部、前臂或腿部某些特定穴位的時候，能夠觸發大腦阿片化學物質的釋放，從而減少心血管系統的興奮反應。這就降低了心臟活性以及對氧氣的需求，從而相應地降低血壓，并促進一些心臟疾病地愈合，比如心肌缺血和高血壓。
 
Electroacupuncture Lowers High Blood Pressure
 
Researchers have found that using acupuncture together with electrical stimulation can lower increased blood pressure by as much as 50% in rats. Their findings were reported in the March 2005 issue of the Journal of Applied Physiolology.

The research team applied acupuncture to specific points on the forelimb of test rats with artificially elevated blood pressure, but the acupuncture had no effect. Next, the team added electrical stimulation to the acupuncture treatment by running an electrical current through the needles. High frequencies of stimulation had no effect, but low levels lowered increased blood pressure by as much as 40-50%. A 30-minute treatment reduced blood pressure in the test rats by 25 mmHg, with the effect lasting almost two hours. The treatment was only effective on elevated blood pressure rates, showing no impact on standing blood pressure rates.

“The Western world is waiting for a clear scientific basis for using acupuncture, and we hope that this research ultimately will lead to the integration of ancient healing practices into modern medical treatment,” observed Dr. John C. Longhurst, director of the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, Irvine (UCI, USA).

In previous research, UCI researchers found that when an acupuncture needle is inserted at specific sites on the wrist, inside of the forearm or leg, this triggers the release of opioid chemicals in the brain that reduce excitatory responses in the cardiovascular system. This decreases the heart’s activity and its need for oxygen, which in turn can lower blood pressure and promote healing for a number of cardiac ailments, such as myocardial ischemia and hypertension.