Abstract
We investigated the effects of acupuncture stimulation on pulse wave variables and heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy adults. To evaluate twenty healthy volunteers (10 men, 10 women) had acupuncture into both Hapkok (Ll4) and Taechung (Liv3) for 15 minutes. Radial pulse, Heart Rate Variability, body temperature and blood pressure were checked before and after acupuncture to evaluate Pulse Wave Variability and Autonomous Function. The results were as follows; Heart rate was significantly increased while systolic blood pressure (mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) were significantly increased after acupuncture treatment. Sixteen subjects didn't change representative pulse wave variables after acupuncture treatment. Energy, height of main peak (H1), height of pre-dicrotic valley (H2) and height of descending valley (H4) were decreased while height of dicrotic peak (H5) was significantly decreased after acupuncture treatment. Time to main peak (T1), time to pre-dicrotic valley (T2), time to dicrotic peak (T5), total time (T) and T-T4 were decreased while time to descending valley (T4) was increased after acupuncture treatment. Total area (At), area of main peak (Aw) and ratio of diastolic period area (Ad) were decreased while ratio of systolic period area (As) and angle of main peak (MPA) were increased after acupuncture treatment. The standard deviation of all normal RR intervals (SDNN) was increased while the root mean square of successive differences between the normal heart beats (RMSSD) was significantly increased after acupuncture treatment by time domain analysis. Low frequency power (LF) and LF/HF ratio were decreased while high frequency power (HF) was significantly increased after acupuncture treatment by frequency domain analysis. This study suggests that acupuncture treatment changes pulse wave variability and heart rate variability. Further study on various acupuncture treatment for pulse wave variability and heart rate variability is required.