2026 Meta-Analysis: Acupuncture as Adjunct Reduces Blood Pressure by Almost 7 mmHg in Primary Hypertension

Primary arterial hypertension affects about 1.3 billion people worldwide and is the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Even with available antihypertensives, blood pressure control in many patients remains unsatisfactory. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2026 in the journal Blood Pressure— linked to the European Society of Hypertension — systematically evaluated RCTs from the last ten years on acupuncture for primary hypertension, with findings that justify considering it as an adjunct in clinical management.

Adjuvant yes — monotherapy no

An important finding of the review is that the antihypertensive benefit of acupuncture appears consistently only when combined with conventional medication. When evaluated alone versus sham or versus antihypertensive alone, acupuncture did not demonstrate significant difference. This positions medical acupuncture as an adjuvant strategy in patients with unsatisfactory blood pressure control despite pharmacologic treatment — and not as an alternative to medication.