Acupuncture Reduces Stroke Risk

A recently publish article in BMJ Open dated February 2024 shows that acupuncture reduces stroke risk, in particular, ischaemic stroke, in patients diagnoses with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

This was a long term study which gathered data from patients diagnosed with RA between 1st January 1997 and 31st December 2010. A total of 23’226 patients were divided into acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups. Factors including patient age and co-exisitng health conditions, such as diabetes, were taken into account as factors likely to increase stroke risk.

Of the participants involved, 341 patients from the acupuncture group, and 605 patients from the non-acupuncture group suffered a stroke during the study period. This shows that acupuncture reduces stroke risk by approximately 43%.

The findings are certainly encouraging, and show a link between acupuncture and reduced risk of stroke, however, further research needs to be conducted to provide more definitive evidence, and to take into account for other influencing risk factors.