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Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the potential association between the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and deceleration capacity (DC)/acceleration capacity (AC) in patients with essential hypertension. Methods This study included 318 patients with essential hypertension, whether or not they were being treated with anti-hypertensive drugs, who underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Patients were categorized into three groups based on the percentage of nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP) dipping: the dipper, non-dipper and reverse dipper groups. Baseline demographic characteristics, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters, Holter recordings (including DC and AC), and echocardiographic parameters were collected. Results In this study, the lowest DC values were observed in the reverse dipper group, followed by the non-dipper and dipper groups (6.46 ± 2.06 vs. 6.65 ± 1.95 vs. 8.07 ± 1.79 ms, P

Background: This study aimed to investigate the potential association between the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and deceleration capacity (DC)/acceleration capacity (AC) in patients with essential hypertension. Methods: This study included 318 patients with essential hypertension, whether or not they were being treated with anti-hypertensive drugs, who underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Patients were categorized into three groups based on the percentage of nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP) dipping: the dipper, non-dipper and reverse dipper groups. Baseline demographic characteristics, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters, Holter recordings (including DC and AC), and echocardiographic parameters were collected. Results: In this study, the lowest DC values were observed in the reverse dipper group, followed by the non-dipper and dipper groups (6.46 ± 2.06 vs. 6.65 ± 1.95 vs. 8.07 ± 1.79 ms, P <.001). Additionally, the AC gradually decreased (-6.32 ± 2.02 vs. -6.55 ± 1.95 vs. -7.80 ± 1.73 ms, P <.001). There was a significant association between DC (r =.307, P <.001), AC (r=-.303, P <.001) and nocturnal SBP decline. Furthermore, DC (β = 0.785, P =.001) was positively associated with nocturnal SBP decline, whereas AC was negatively associated with nocturnal SBP (β = -0.753, P =.002). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, deceleration capacity [OR (95% CI): 0.705 (0.594–0.836), p <.001], and acceleration capacity [OR (95% CI): 1.357 (1.141–1.614), p =.001] were identified as independent risk factors for blood pressure nondipper status. The analysis of ROC curves revealed that the area under the curve for DC/AC in predicting the circadian rhythm of blood pressure was 0.711/0.697, with a sensitivity of 73.4%/65.1% and specificity of 66.7%/71.2%. Conclusions: Abnormal DC and AC density were correlated with a blunted decline in nighttime SBP, suggesting a potential association between the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in essential hypertension patients and autonomic nervous dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to explore whether circadian rhythm of blood pressure is associated with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in patients with essential hypertension. Method: This cross-sectional study included 4,217 patients with essential hypertension who completed 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, baPWV, and FMD. BaPWV and FMD were measured to evaluate arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction. Participants were divided into dipper, non-dipper, and reverse dipping groups according to the nocturnal systolic blood pressure dipping percentage. Results: In this study, baPWV was highest in the reverse dipping groups, followed by non-dipper and dipper groups (1667.11 ± 327.90 vs. 1613.88 ± 325.11 vs. 1577.45 ± 306.15 cm/s, P < .001) and FMD gradually increased (4.41 ± 2.87 vs. 4.70 ± 2.84 vs. 4.92 ± 2.79%, P = .001). baPWV and FMD were significantly associated with declining nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP). Interestingly, FMD (ß = 0.042, P = .014) was only positively associated with a drop in nocturnal SBP decline in patients <65 years of age. Whereas baPWV was consistently negatively associated with nocturnal SBP decline regardless of age (ß = -0.065, P < .001, age <65 years; ß = -0.149, P = .002, age = 65). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves analysis showed areas under the curve (AUC) of baPWV/FMD for predicting circadian rhythm of blood pressure are 0.562/0.554 with a sensitivity of 51.7%/53.9% and specificity of 56.4%/53.4. Conclusion: Impairment of baPWV and FMD were correlated with abnormal circadian rhythm of blood pressure in essential hypertension, suggesting a decrease in nighttime SBP may associate with endothelial function and arterial stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aimed to probe the effects of low‐dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide in combination with levamlodipine at different times on the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) levels in patients with non‐dipper hypertension (NDH). In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 124 patients with NDH who visited our hospital between August 2018 and July 2021 were enrolled and divided into morning (62 patients) and night (62 patients) medication groups according to the random number table method. All patients received low‐dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combined with levamlodipine, with the morning medication group taking the medication between 7:00 and 10:00 and the night medication group taking the medication between 19:00 and 22:00 for 24 weeks. The effect of antihypertensive medication in both groups was measured, and changes in ambulatory blood pressure, blood pressure circadian rhythm, left ventricular structure, vascular endothelial function, MMPs, and TIMPs levels were observed before treatment initiation and after 24 weeks of treatment in both groups. The percentage of the dipper type was higher in the night medication group than in the morning medication group, while the percentage of the non‐dipper type was lower in the morning medication group (p

This study aimed to probe the effects of low‐dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide in combination with levamlodipine at different times on the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) levels in patients with non‐dipper hypertension (NDH). In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 124 patients with NDH who visited our hospital between August 2018 and July 2021 were enrolled and divided into morning (62 patients) and night (62 patients) medication groups according to the random number table method. All patients received low‐dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combined with levamlodipine, with the morning medication group taking the medication between 7:00 and 10:00 and the night medication group taking the medication between 19:00 and 22:00 for 24 weeks. The effect of antihypertensive medication in both groups was measured, and changes in ambulatory blood pressure, blood pressure circadian rhythm, left ventricular structure, vascular endothelial function, MMPs, and TIMPs levels were observed before treatment initiation and after 24 weeks of treatment in both groups. The percentage of the dipper type was higher in the night medication group than in the morning medication group, while the percentage of the non‐dipper type was lower in the morning medication group (p <.05). Low‐dose irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide combined with levamlodipine at different times can effectively treat NDH, but bedtime dosing is more beneficial in reducing nocturnal blood pressure, reversing NDH, improving the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, left ventricular structure, regulating vascular endothelial function, increasing MMPs levels, and reducing TIMP levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To study the efficacy and safety of the triple fixed-dose combination (FDC) of amlodipine/indapamide/perindopril on blood pressure (BP) profile in patients with grade I-II hypertension (HTN) in actual clinical practice.Material and methods. Data from 54 patients with paired 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) data were included in the TRICOLOR subanalysis (ClinicalTrials. gov study ID — NCT03722524). The mean 24-hour, daytime, and nighttime BP were calculated at baseline and after 12-week follow-up. We determined the proportion of patients with nocturnal HTN (≥120/70 mm Hg) and nocturnal hypotension (20%), as well as those without nocturnal BP decrease (>0%, non-dipper (ND)). The smoothness index (SI) was analyzed as the ratio of the mean hourly SBP fall to its mean standard deviation in paired ABPM. To assess the BP phenotypes, two methods were used with reference values of

Objective: Several epidemiological studies suggest that the preservation of the physiological circadian rhythm of blood pressure or its disruption affects the extent of the organ damage developed by the patient. If we classify the circadian rhythm of blood pressure into four nocturnal profiles, significant differences emerge in terms of organ damage burden and prognosis: reverse dippers have the worst prognosis while dippers and mild dippers fall into an intermediate risk range. The risk profile of extreme dippers is still debated, and the available data are very conflicting and inconclusive. Starting from this gap of knowledge, we aimed to evaluate, retrospectively, in a cohort of hypertensive subjects, the degree of cardiac involvement in relation to the different nocturnal blood pressure profiles. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 900 patients with essential hypertension, of whom 510 met our study criteria. We graded the 510 patients in relation to the percentage of reduction in mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) at night-time compared with day-time, considering this as a continuous variable, and then compared the extreme quintiles with each other and with the middle quintile (considered as reference). Results: Patients with less (or no) reduction in nocturnal SBP (reverse dipper) showed a higher level of organ damage and comorbidities. With regard to echocardiographic indexes, patients with maximum nocturnal pressure reduction (extreme dipper) showed a lower level of remodeling and/or impairment of E/e’ ratio, Right Atrium Area, Basal Right Ventricular Diameter, Inferior Vena Cava Average Diameter, and Tricuspidal Anular Plane Systolic Excursion compared also with hypertensive patients with a physiological nocturnal pressure reduction, even after correction for the main confounders. Conclusions: These data suggest that extreme dippers may constitute the subgroup of hypertensive patients with the lowest 24-h pressure load and, therefore, less cardiac remodeling.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the interrelation of the structural state of brachiocephalic arteries with the characteristics of the daily profile of blood pressure (BP) in middle-aged and elderly patients with essential arterial hypertension stage II. The study included 74 untreated middle-aged (n=46) and elderly (n=28) patients with essential uncomplicated hypertension, which were divided into two groups depending on age. By risk factors, degree of arterial hypertension patients did not differ significantly. In group I, a significantly higher prevalence of stenotic atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries was found in comparison with the patients of group II. In elderly patients with stenotic carotid artery atherosclerosis, a significantly higher level of systolic blood pressure (BP) was established at night time. The increase of carotid intima media thickness in patients with impaired circadian BP rhythm was associated with the insufficient degree of nocturnal decrease in systolic BP. The degree of carotid arteries stenosis in patients with preserved daily BP rhythm was associated with the increasing of systolic BP level at night time, of pulse BP level within 24 hours, and an insufficient decrease in diastolic BP at night time.

Objective: This study aimed to explore whether circadian rhythm of blood pressure is associated with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in patients with essential hypertension., Method: This cross-sectional study included 4,217 patients with essential hypertension who completed 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, baPWV, and FMD. BaPWV and FMD were measured to evaluate arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction. Participants were divided into dipper, non-dipper, and reverse dipping groups according to the nocturnal systolic blood pressure dipping percentage., Results: In this study, baPWV was highest in the reverse dipping groups, followed by non-dipper and dipper groups (1667.11 ± 327.90 vs. 1613.88 ± 325.11 vs. 1577.45 ± 306.15 cm/s, P  < .001) and FMD gradually increased (4.41 ± 2.87 vs. 4.70 ± 2.84 vs. 4.92 ± 2.79%, P  = .001). baPWV and FMD were significantly associated with declining nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP). Interestingly, FMD (β = 0.042, P  = .014) was only positively associated with a drop in nocturnal SBP decline in patients <65 years of age. Whereas baPWV was consistently negatively associated with nocturnal SBP decline regardless of age (β = -0.065, P  < .001, age <65 years; β = -0.149, P  = .002, age ≥ 65). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves analysis showed areas under the curve (AUC) of baPWV/FMD for predicting circadian rhythm of blood pressure are 0.562/0.554 with a sensitivity of 51.7%/53.9% and specificity of 56.4%/53.4., Conclusion: Impairment of baPWV and FMD were correlated with abnormal circadian rhythm of blood pressure in essential hypertension, suggesting a decrease in nighttime SBP may associate with endothelial function and arterial stiffness.

Background/Aims: Hypertension (HT) is a common complication in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the relationship between circadian rhythm disorder of blood pressure (BP) and intra-renal damage remains unclear. Methods: Ninety patients with chronic glomerular disease (CGD) were included in the present study. On the basis of the clinic BP (CBP) and 24 h-ambulatory BP (ABP) measurements, the patients were divided into the following groups; normotension (NT), white coat HT (WHT), masked HT (MHT), and sustained HT (SHT). For renal histopathological assessment, we evaluated each biopsy specimen for sclerotic glomeruli (SG), interstitial fibrosis (IF), intimal thickening of intra-lobular arteries (ILA), and arteriolar hyalinosis (AH). Results: The prevalence of NT, WHT, MHT and SHT was 60.0%, 3.3%, 23.3%, and 13.4%, respectively. Compared with circadian BP pattern, all-day HT was most prevalent in the SHT group, whereas nighttime HT was most prevalent in the MHT group. The results of histological analysis showed that the SHT group had more severe SG and IF and the MHT group had more severe IF compared to the NT group. As for renal arteriolosclerosis, the MHT and SHT groups had more severe AH compared with the NT group, whereas ILA was comparable among all four groups. Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that ILA was significantly correlated only with age, whereas AH was significantly correlated with age and HT based on ABP, but not HT based on CBP. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that renal AH was severe not only in the SHT group, but also in the MHT group. Careful ABP monitoring should be recommended in patients with CGD.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the interrelation of the structural state of brachiocephalic arteries with the characteristics of the daily profile of blood pressure (BP) in middle-aged and elderly patients with essential arterial hypertension stage II. The study included 74 untreated middle-aged (n=46) and elderly (n=28) patients with essential uncomplicated hypertension, which were divided into two groups depending on age. By risk factors, degree of arterial hypertension patients did not differ significantly. In group I, a significantly higher prevalence of stenotic atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries was found in comparison with the patients of group II. In elderly patients with stenotic carotid artery atherosclerosis, a significantly higher level of systolic blood pressure (BP) was established at night time. The increase of carotid intima media thickness in patients with impaired circadian BP rhythm was associated with the insufficient degree of nocturnal decrease in systolic BP. The degree of carotid arteries stenosis in patients with preserved daily BP rhythm was associated with the increasing of systolic BP level at night time, of pulse BP level within 24 hours, and an insufficient decrease in diastolic BP at night time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Hypertension (HT) is a common complication in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the relationship between circadian rhythm disorder of blood pressure (BP) and intra-renal damage remains unclear. Methods: Ninety patients with chronic glomerular disease (CGD) were included in the present study. On the basis of the clinic BP (CBP) and 24 h-ambulatory BP (ABP) measurements, the patients were divided into the following groups; normotension (NT), white coat HT (WHT), masked HT (MHT), and sustained HT (SHT). For renal histopathological assessment, we evaluated each biopsy specimen for sclerotic glomeruli (SG), interstitial fibrosis (IF), intimal thickening of intra-lobular arteries (ILA), and arteriolar hyalinosis (AH). Results: The prevalence of NT, WHT, MHT and SHT was 60.0%, 3.3%, 23.3%, and 13.4%, respectively. Compared with circadian BP pattern, all-day HT was most prevalent in the SHT group, whereas nighttime HT was most prevalent in the MHT group. The results of histological analysis showed that the SHT group had more severe SG and IF and the MHT group had more severe IF compared to the NT group. As for renal arteriolosclerosis, the MHT and SHT groups had more severe AH compared with the NT group, whereas ILA was comparable among all four groups. Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that ILA was significantly correlated only with age, whereas AH was significantly correlated with age and HT based on ABP, but not HT based on CBP. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that renal AH was severe not only in the SHT group, but also in the MHT group. Careful ABP monitoring should be recommended in patients with CGD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To investigate the regional cerebral blood flow, cognitive function, and parameters of 24-h arterial blood pressure monitoring in patients with metabolic syndrome before and after combination antihypertensive therapy. Methods The study involved 54 patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) investigated by brain single-photon emission computed tomography, 24-h blood pressure monitoring ( ABPM), and comprehensive neuropsychological testing before and after 24 weeks of combination antihypertensive therapy. Results Patients with metabolic syndrome had significantly poorer regional cerebral blood flow compared with control group: by 7% ( P = 0.003) in right anterior parietal cortex, by 6% ( P = 0.028) in left anterior parietal cortex, by 8% ( P = 0.007) in right superior frontal lobe, and by 10% ( P = 0.00002) and 7% ( P = 0.006) in right and left temporal brain regions, correspondingly. The results of neuropsychological testing showed 11% decrease in mentation ( P = 0.002), and 19% ( P = 0.011) and 20% ( P = 0.009) decrease in immediate verbal and visual memory in patients with MetS as compared with control group. Relationships between the indices of ABPM, cerebral perfusion, and cognitive function were found. Data showed an improvement of regional cerebral blood flow, ABPM parameters, and indicators of cognitive functions after 6 months of antihypertensive therapy in patients with MetS. Conclusion The study showed the presence of diffuse disturbances in cerebral perfusion is associated with cognitive disorders in patients with metabolic syndrome. Combination antihypertensive treatment exerts beneficial effects on the 24-h blood pressure profile, increases cerebral blood flow, and improves cognitive function in patients with MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the effect of Chinese herbal medicine for calming Gan (肝) and suppressing hyperactive yang (平肝潜阳, CGSHY) on arterial elasticity function and the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension (EH). Methods: Adopting a parallel, randomized design, sixty-four patients with EH of stages I and II were randomly divided into two groups according to a random number table, with 32 in each group. The patients in the treatment group were treated with CGSHY and those in the control group were treated with Enalapril. All patients were given 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) before and after a 12-week treatment. Trough/peak (T/P) ratios of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP & DBP) of each group were calculated. The circadian rhythm of their blood pressure was observed at the same time. The changes in elasticity of the carotid artery in the patients, including stiffness parameter (β), pressure-strain elastic modulus (Ep), arterial compliance (AC), augmentation index (AI), and pulse wave velocity (PVWβ) were determined by the echo-tracking technique before and after a 12-week treatment. In the meantime, their levels of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured respectively. Results: After treatment, all parameters in the 24-h ABPM and the elasticity of the carotid artery (β, Ep, AC and PVWβ) were markedly improved, the level of NO was increased, and ET-1 was decreased in both groups as compared with values before treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Further, the improvements in the ratio of T/P of SBP & DBP and in the level of NO and ET-1 in the treatment group were more signifificant than those in the control group (P<0.05). There were no signifificant differences in all parameters in the ABPM monitoring and the elasticity of the carotid artery, the recovery of blood pressure circadian rhythm, and the therapeutic effect of antihypertension in EH patients between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: Chinese herbal medicine for CGSHY may lower the blood pressure smoothly and recover the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in EH patients. They may also improve the carotid elasticity of EH patients similar to that of Enalapril. The mechanism of action of Chinese herbs on EH might be related to the regulation of vascular endothelium function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Several epidemiological studies suggest that the preservation of the physiological circadian rhythm of blood pressure or its disruption affects the extent of the organ damage developed by the patient. If we classify the circadian rhythm of blood pressure into four nocturnal profiles, significant differences emerge in terms of organ damage burden and prognosis: reverse dippers have the worst prognosis while dippers and mild dippers fall into an intermediate risk range. The risk profile of extreme dippers is still debated, and the available data are very conflicting and inconclusive. Starting from this gap of knowledge, we aimed to evaluate, retrospectively, in a cohort of hypertensive subjects, the degree of cardiac involvement in relation to the different nocturnal blood pressure profiles. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 900 patients with essential hypertension, of whom 510 met our study criteria. We graded the 510 patients in relation to the percentage of reduction in mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) at night-time compared with day-time, considering this as a continuous variable, and then compared the extreme quintiles with each other and with the middle quintile (considered as reference). Results: Patients with less (or no) reduction in nocturnal SBP (reverse dipper) showed a higher level of organ damage and comorbidities. With regard to echocardiographic indexes, patients with maximum nocturnal pressure reduction (extreme dipper) showed a lower level of remodeling and/or impairment of E/e' ratio, Right Atrium Area, Basal Right Ventricular Diameter, Inferior Vena Cava Average Diameter, and Tricuspidal Anular Plane Systolic Excursion compared also with hypertensive patients with a physiological nocturnal pressure reduction, even after correction for the main confounders. Conclusions: These data suggest that extreme dippers may constitute the subgroup of hypertensive patients with the lowest 24-h pressure load and, therefore, less cardiac remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several studies about blood pressure measurement. "The Relative Utility of Home, Ambulatory and Physician-Obtained Blood Pressures in the Prediction of End-Organ Damage," by Dennis M. Abraham et al; "Evaluation of Increased Blood Pressure Values in an Emergency Department," by Maria J. Adrian et al; "Cigarette Smoking Increases the Diurnal/Nocturnal Blood Pressure Ratio in Patients With Essential Hypertension," by Diana E. Ayala et al.

Background. Good blood pressure (BP) control has been reported previously in haemodialysis (HD) patients receiving 8-h dialysis sessions. Home HD allows patients to dialyse for long periods, but there are few data on the BP control achieved by these patients. We studied BP control, using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), in our home-HD patients who were receiving long-hours dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

High blood pressure (BP) is a major factor contributing to the high incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in haemodialysis (HD) patients. According to predialysis casual BP measurements, long HD has been shown to provide good BP control. To confirm this result during the period between dialysis sessions, we performed ambulatory monitoring of BP in 91 non-selected HD patients (mean age, 58.7 (14.1) years; 14% incidence of nephrosclerosis and diabetes mellitus; treatment duration, 93.0 (77.2) months; 3×8 h/week, cuprophane, acetate buffer in 95% of the patients). Only one patient (1.1%) was receiving an antihypertensive medication. Ambulatory BP results were systolic (S) BP, 119.4 (19.9) mmHg; diastolic (D) BP, 70.6 (12.9) mmHg; mean (M) BP, 87.6 (13.9) mmHg. These values were significantly lower than the casual predialysis BP data and close to the reference values reported by Staessen . in a meta-analysis including 3476 normotensive subjects. The MBP was inversely correlated with the treatment duration, but not with interdialysis weight gain. The MBP increased significantly in the last part of the interdialysis period, and this rise was not correlated with the interdialysis weight gain. The nocturnal/diurnal ratios for SBP and DBP for the HD patients (0.97 and 0.92) were higher than the reference values reported by Staessen, (0.87 and 0.83), and argued against a nocturnal decrease in BP. We found that 52.1% of the patients had an abnormal nocturnal BP fall (MBP fall <5%). This feature worsened during the second night of the interdialysis period. We confirm that interdialysis BP in HD patients treated by long HD and without antihypertensive drugs approached the levels observed in a normal population. Achievement of dry weight is thought to be the cornerstone of this good result, but we cannot rule out other mechanisms such as the optimal clearance of pressor molecules. The BP rise during the interdialysis period, independent of the weight gain, argues for such an accumulation. Despite good BP control the circadian rhythm of BP is not restored in our patients, and remains to be studied. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To compare the infuences on circadian rhythm of blood pressure in the patients with non-dipper essential hypertension between the combined treatment of time acupuncture and western medication and the simple western medication., Methods: A total of 70 patients with non-dipper essential hypertension were randomized into an acupuncture plus western medication group (35 cases, 2 cases dropped out) and a western medication group (35 cases). In the western medication group, levamlodipine maleate tablets were taken orally, 2.5 mg each time, once daily. In the acupuncture plus western medication group, on the base of the treatment as the western medication group, acupuncture was applied specially in the period of the day from 7:00 am to 9:00 am. The acupoints included Fengchi (GB 20), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. Acupuncture was given once daily, 5 treatments a week. The duration of treatment in the two groups was 4 weeks. The clinic blood pressure before and after treatment, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure and the levels of serum melatonin (MT) and 5-serotonin (5-HT) were observed in the two groups., Results: The total effective rate of anti-hypertension was 75.8% (25/33) in the acupuncture plus western medication group, better than 54.3% (19/35) in the western medication group ( P <0.05). The 24 h average systolic blood pressure, the daytime average systolic blood pressure, the daytime average diastolic pressure, and the nighttime average systolic blood pressure were all reduced after treatment in the two groups ( P <0.05). The reduction effect of the aforementioned 4 indexes in the acupuncture plus western medication group was much more obvious as compared with the western medication group ( P <0.05). After treatment, the serum level of MT was increased and 5-HT decreased in the patients of two groups ( P <0.05). The serum level of MT in the acupuncture plus western medication group was higher than that in the western medication group and the level of 5-HT was lower than the western medication group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: Time acupuncture therapy in the period of the day from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, combined with western medication effectively reduce blood pressure and regulate the levels of serum MT and 5-HT so as to maintain the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with non-dipper essential hypertension. The therapeutic effect of this combined treatment is superior to simple western medication.

Objective: To observe the effects of acupuncture combined with medication on circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension., Methods: Sixty-four patients of essential hypertension were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 32 cases in each group. All the patients maintained original treatment (taking antihypertensive medication); the patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture method of " Huoxue Sanfeng , Shugan Jianpi ", once a day, five times per week, for totally 6 weeks (30 times). The circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters were observed before and after treatment in the two groups., Results: (1) The differences of daytime average systolic blood pressure (dASBP), daytime average diastolic blood pressure (dADBP), nighttime average systolic blood pressure (nASBP) and circadian rhythm of systolic blood pressure before and after treatment were significant in the observation group (all P <0.05); the differences of circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters before and after treatment were insignificant in the control group (all P >0.05). The nASBP and circadian rhythm of systolic blood pressure in the observation group were significantly different from those in the control group (all P <0.05). (2) After the treatment, the spoon-shaped rate of circadian rhythm of blood pressure in the observation group was higher than that in the control group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: The acupuncture combined with medication could effectively improve the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters in patients with essential hypertension.