Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Blood Pressure and Stress Responses in Adults with Prehypertension

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effects of auricular acupressure (AA) on blood pressure (BP) and stress responses in adults with prehypertension.Methods: single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled conducted from September 2019 February 2020. Participants were recruited through bulletin board notices D city. The experimental group (n=27) received 8 weeks AA intervention specific acupoints (shenmen, kidney, heart, occiput, adrenal gland) reduce stress, whereas control (n=25) unspecific (helix 1-5). outcomes measured using BP, perceived scale (PSS), cortisol, heart rate variability (HRV). Collected data analyzed Fisher’s exact test, chi-square, Shapiro-Wilk normality paired t-test, independent Mann-Whitney U repeated measures ANOVA Friedman test SPSS/WIN 24.0.Results: Statistical differences found between groups for systolic BP (x<sup>2</sup>=85.64, p<.001), diastolic (x<sup>2</sup>=27.76, p=.001), PSS (F=9.439, p=.003), low frequency (F=5.22, p=.027), (F=3.208, p=.045), HRV index (F=3.579, p=.035). Cortisol did not differ significantly group.Conclusion: findings show that leads improvements prehypertension. Therefore, can be used as an alternative nursing hypertension prevention management.