Low-frequency and very low-intensity ultrasound decreases blood pressure in hypertensive subjects with type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
Despite lifestyle interventions and various types of anti-hypertension agents, hypertension remains difficult to control in some patients with type 2 diabetes. As a noninvasive device-based approach for the treatment of clinic hypertension, we examined the effects of low-frequency and low-intensity ultrasound (500 or 800kHz, 25mW/cm(2)) applied to the forearm on blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate in Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes and hypertension.


METHODS
We examined the effects of low-frequency and low-intensity ultrasound (500 or 800kHz, 25mW/cm(2)) applied to the forearm on BP, pulse rate, and pulse pressure in 212 Japanese subjects (82 men and 130 women; mean age±SE, 65±1years) with type 2 diabetes and hypertension (systolic BP>140mmHg). The subjects were treated with anti-hypertension agents.


RESULTS
Systolic and diastolic BP, pulse rate, pulse pressure in the 800-kHz ultrasound treatment group were significantly lower than the baseline values in hypertensive subjects with type 2 diabetes, and lower than those of placebo controls. In addition, systolic and diastolic BP, pulse rate, and pulse pressure in the 500-kHz ultrasound treatment group were significantly lower than the baseline values in hypertensive subjects with type 2 diabetes, and systolic BP, pulse rate, and pulse pressure were significantly lower than those of placebo controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-frequency (800kHz or 500kHz) and low-intensity (25mW/cm(2)) ultrasound irradiation to the forearm might have potential usefulness as a therapeutic application for clinic hypertension in subjects with type 2 diabetes.
Department of Diabetes Technology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Japan. Electronic address: katsu@trc.med.tohoku.ac.jp.
Katsunori
K
Nonogaki
Department of Diabetes Technology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Japan.
Tomoe
T
Yamazaki
Department of Diabetes Technology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Japan.
Mari
M
Murakami
Department of Diabetes Technology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Japan.
Noriko
N
Satoh
Department of Diabetes Technology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Japan.
Miki
M
Hazama
Kume Electric Co., Japan.
Kouji
K
Takeda
Kume Electric Co., Japan.
Nobuyuki
N
Tsujita
Houei Co., Japan.
Shuichi
S
Katoh
Houei Co., Japan.
Nariki
N
Kubota
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000069453:Ultrasonic Waves
A device-based approach; Blood pressure; Forearm; Hypertension; Type 2 diabetes; Ultrasound irradiation