April 2007

Research on blood pressure published in medical journal

A research report by Marshall Dickholtz, Sr., DC, is set to be published in the March issue of the printed Journal of Human Hypertension, a part of the Nature Publishing Group family of journals. An online version appeared on the JHH website in January.

The paper titled, "Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study," examined subluxations of the Atlas vertebra associated with relative ischaemia of the brainstem circulation and increased blood pressure. The results clearly indicated a link between manual subluxation correction and reduction of arterial pressure.

The double blind, placebo‑controlled research involved 50 patients diagnosed with Stage 1 hypertension who were not currently taking any blood pressure medication. The subjects were divided randomly into two groups; one received upper cervical adjustments while the other received a sham procedure. Most of the subjects (85%) received only one adjustment. No antihypertensive medications were given during the study.

After eight weeks, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were compared to the baseline figures taken at the start of the project. Those receiving upper cervical care showed marked improvement, going from a baseline of 147/92 to 130/82. The results of the placebo group were far less impressive, only changing from 145/91 to 142/89. The heart rate was not reduced in the upper cervical group, and no adverse effects were recorded.

"We conclude that restoration of Atlas alignment is associated with marked and sustained reductions in BP similar to the use of two‑drug combination therapy," the researchers stated.

The research was led by George M. Bakris, MD, a noted researcher with the Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush University Hypertension Center, a large teaching hospital in Chicago. According to Dr. Dickholtz, this is the first time that research has been conducted to show that reducing subluxation at the brain stem level has a direct and profound impact on the autonomic system.

A founding director of the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association, Dickholtz is also president of the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research Association and recipient of the Daniel David Palmer Scientific Award. A true chiropractic pioneer ‑‑ in practice for half a century ‑‑ he first began exploring the affect of upper cervical adjustments on blood pressure in 1986. At that time, Bruce Bell, MD, began referring hypertensive patients to Dickholtz and through the years sent some 6,000 people to Dickholtz' Chicago office.

Dickholtz' previous research has focused on a wide array of topics, including auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials, magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex of the brain, chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, and additional studies on blood pressure.

The abstract and article for this paper can be found at the JHH website: www.nature.com/jhh.