EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF AURICULOTHERAPY AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY IN REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of auriculotherapy as a complementary therapy in controlling blood pressure in individuals diagnosed with Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH). This is an experimental, descriptive, and cross-sectional case series with a mixed-methods approach, involving eight auriculotherapy sessions in five patients with SAH. The intervention was carried out at the Irmã Dulce University Pharmacy, at UniCatólica, and approved by the Ethics Committee under opinion number 7.416.284. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observation forms, recording auricular points, blood pressure, and participants' perceptions. The qualitative analysis included the use of TagCrowd to identify recurring terms in the reports, allowing for an understanding of the experience, the perceived effects, and the contribution of auriculotherapy in the management of hypertension. The sample, composed of five participants (100%), mostly middle-aged women with low socioeconomic status, presented a high burden of comorbidities and polypharmacy, common characteristics in individuals with hypertension. Auriculotherapy interventions demonstrated a general trend of reducing or stabilizing blood pressure over the eight sessions, despite individual fluctuations associated with factors such as pain, stress, and autonomic variability. Participants reported improved sleep, reduced stress, pain relief, and greater well-being, reinforcing evidence that auriculotherapy acts as a safe and potentially effective complementary practice in the management of hypertension. Thus, auriculotherapy proved effective as a complementary therapy in hypertension, reducing blood pressure, improving well-being and symptoms, with promising potential in Primary Health Care.