文档介绍：REVIEW ARTICLE
Acupuncture in the Treatment of Heart Failure
Holly R. Middlekauff, MD
Heart failure is characterized by activation of several
Abstract: Few clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of acupunc-
ture in heart failure have been performed. These studies have neurohumoral systems, including the sympathetic nervous
focused on the acupoint Neiguan (P6) in patients experiencing heart system. Sympathetic nervous system activation has been
failure and have variably reported either an acute increase in ven- associated with progression of heart failure, increased sudden
6
tricular contractility and/or relaxation or no effect on ventricular death risk, and increased mortality. Pharmacologic treatment
contractility and/or relaxation. To date, clinical studies have been of heart failure is focused on interruption of this sympathetic
hampered by small enrollment, inadequate controls, and unblinded activation with stability or improvement in cardiac function
design. Recent scientific studies of animal models of acupuncture and decreased mortality. Whether the potential benefits of
support the concept that acupuncture produces release of endoge- acupuncture are mediated through modulation of the sympa-
nous opioids in the central nervous system, which in turn could thetic nervous system remains an unproven, yet intriguing
inhibit central sympathetic outflow. Patien