Ausleitende procedures as high blood pressure therapy

Blood donation as hypertension therapy?

06/29/2012

Blood donations could possibly become a fundamental part of high blood pressure therapy in the future. As the expert in natural medicine, Professor Andreas Michalsen, reported from the Berlin Charité, a clinical study has shown that the „controlled blood collection can lower blood pressure by an average of 16 mmHg (millimeters of mercury).“

In principle, a blood donation is similar to the naturopathic approach of the Ausleitenden procedures, where there has been evidence for some time that they can develop a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. These indications have been substantiated in clinical practice, so that the researchers around Professor Andreas Michalsen of the Charité-Universitätsmedizin now want to investigate in a larger study, „whether regular blood donation could be an effective therapy for mild hypertension.“ In the preliminary clinical study, the comparatively large effect lasted for several weeks, which could certainly be used for therapy, the researchers explained.

Blood donation more effective than pharmacological antihypertensives?
As part of the clinical preliminary study, Prof. Michalsen and colleagues had patients with metabolic syndrome characterized by high blood pressure, obesity, altered blood lipid levels and insulin resistance (diabetes), withdrawn blood and then observed the development of blood pressure levels. Twice within four weeks, participants donated 300 milliliters of blood for experimental purposes. After a second room of six weeks, the blood pressure values ​​of the subjects were compared with those of a control group. Accordingly, the blood collection resulted in a lowering of the blood pressure by an average of 16 mmHg at the systolic value. Common antihypertensives such as ACE inhibitors or beta-blockers, according to the researchers usually cause significantly lower reductions. In addition, blood lipid levels in the experimental group had improved significantly after blood collection.

Blood sampling shows positive effect on blood pressure and blood lipid levels
A larger study will now examine whether the positive effect of blood sampling can also be used for therapeutic purposes in hypertensive patients. The researchers of the Berlin Charité-Universitätsmedizin also want to find out why the hypotensive effect persists over such a long period of time. The physicians suspect a connection here with the Ferritinspiegel, which is also lowered by the blood collection. For example, Prof. Michalsen and Prof. Abdulgabar Salama, head of the Charité Institute of Transfusion Medicine, believe that a high iron level in the blood could have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system as well as the immune system. The iron promotes the oxidation of the vessels, which impairs their ability to function. In turn, a low level of ferritin could help keep the vessel walls elastic, allowing for better blood pressure balance.

Leaking procedure for centuries part of naturopathy
For centuries, natural remedies have been extremely popular in the field of Naturopathy because of their beneficial effects on health. The origin was the so-called bloodletting, which, however, at the same time also gave rise to the growing criticism of the diverting procedure. Because this was often used in the Middle Ages as a universal treatment method for almost all diseases, which in some cases brought significant negative consequences for the patients. Today it is clear that the Blood Collection Procedures are by no means suitable for the treatment of all diseases. But as the current approaches to the Berlin Charité make clear, there are certainly promising applications for hypertension therapy. However, the effectiveness must first be examined in a larger follow-up study, whereby currently the search for the participants runs, so the announcement of the Berlin Charité. Anyone between the ages of 30 and 65, living in Berlin and diagnosed hypertension (systolic value between 140 and 160 mmHg), could take part. Registration for the study is possible at any time on the website www.bluthochdruck-blutspende.de.

Blood donation as therapy for hypertension
„If blood donation is confirmed as a therapeutic approach in hypertension, one will have to rethink”, stressed Professor Michalsen. Because most physicians are the naturopathic method of bloodletting - whether in conventional form or as a leech therapy - so far extremely critical. According to Prof. Michalsen, blood donors have repeatedly reported positive health effects, such as higher performance, better body sensation and increased vitality, but so far only a few studies have been done on this subject in science. However, these provided clear indications that blood donors, for example, are subject to a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke. However, as little research funding is available in the field of complementary medicine, the number of such studies has been extremely limited. The current study is funded by the Karl and Veronica Carstens Foundation. (Fp)

Image: Herbert Käfer