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Abstract

It is known that acupuncture is effective for lowering blood pressure and treating some cardiovascular diseases. Recent work and reports from practitioners confirm that electroacupuncture (EA) is a more effective therapy; however, the basis of this observation has not been explained in terms of Western medical science. One approach is the use of calcium channel blocker agents, particularly L type of channels. This ultimately relaxes the muscle in the walls of the arteries. The same effect can also be observed by the use of EA wherein low-frequency and low-current electrical pulses increase the gating voltage and block the calcium channels. This alteration of voltage across the Ca⁺⁺ channels by EA is examined herein.

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Blockade of Calcium Channels by Electroacupuncture for Hypertension Treatment

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