Transactions Of The Consortium For Chiropractic e.1992 Jun; 7th: 284-5
ABSTRACT: There is little data on the chiropractic management of patients with hypertension. One small scale clinical trial using activator methodologies(short lever, mechanical force manually assisted instrument) demonstrated benefits of this approach (1). The patients in that trial would be classified as mildly hypertensive. We report a case, where, after numerous pharmacological attempts, the patient eventually was able to have his hypertension stabilized with various combination’s of anti hypertensive medication during a ten year time period. The patient was medicated with 120 mg Corgard b.i.d. and 2 mg.Minipress b.i.d. This 38 year old Caucasian male patient also had continued complaints of bloating sensations, mental depression, fatigue and impotency. The patient underwent a course of chiropractic care which consisted primarily of manual short lever specific contact procedures. Since the patient’s blood pressure was stabilized with various medications, before care began, his pressure was monitored closely by the attending chiropractic and his medical practitioners. Both diastolic and systolic values began dropping below normal during treatment, and the patient’s medications were cut 25% by the medical doctor at approximately one month intervals. After five months of care, the patient was off medications. His blood pressure has continued to remain normal at six months follow-up. The patient’s blood pressure was recorded prior to and after each chiropractic treatment. The presence of a small scale clinical trial of chiropractic care (1) in the management of hypertensive patients and the case report presented here should provide the impetus for large scale clinical trials or cohort studies for chiropractic care and the management of hypertension. Since a medicated hypertensive patient’s blood pressure may fall below normal while he or she is undergoing chiropractic care, it is advised that the blood pressure be closely monitored and medications adjusted, if necessary, by the patient’s medical physician.