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Theses and dissertations (Health Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/12

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    The relative effectiveness of Olea europea subsp. africana aqueous leaf extract and of Olea europea subsp. africana 6CH on mild to moderate hypertension
    (2000) Ronander, Garnet; McDavid, G. M.
    This study investigated the effect of Olea europea subsp africana aqueous leaf extract (tincture), 6CH and placebo on mild to moderate hypertension, in order to determine whether any of these forms of Olea europea subsp africana are capable of producing a significant reduction in the systolic or diastolic blood pressures. Patients were screened for mild to moderate hypertension and diagnosed after three successive measurements on three different visits. Once the patients were selected and agreed to take part in the study, they were randomly divided into one of three groups. Group 1 received 6CH Olea europea subsp africana, Group 2 received placebo and Group 3 received the Olea europea subsp africana tincture. The patients were instructed to take twenty drops three times a day for the duration of the research. The patient's blood pressures were recorded every three to four weeks and at each visit three readings were taken and the mean of these three readings was used for analysis. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed no statistically significant difference between the three groups. The Friedman test however showed that all three groups had shown statistically significant improvement in the period of the research. The data was then analysed visually by means of bar charts using the mean levels of the systolic and diastolic readings of each visit. This showed that all the groups showed a decrease in mean blood pressure with Group 1 (6CH) having the greatest systolic drop of 11mmHg systolic and SmmHg diastolic. Group 3 (tincture) had the second largest drop of 9mmHg systolic and SmmHg diastolic where Group 2 (Placebo) showed the smallest drop with a 6mmHg drop in systolic and a 3mmHg drop in diastolic mean blood pressure.
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    The effect of cervical and thoracic spinal manipulations on blood pressure in normotensive males
    (2009) Pastellides, Angela Niky; Docrat, Aadil
    The Effect of Cervical and Thoracic Spinal Manipulations on Blood Pressure in Normotensive Males. BACKGROUND A distinguishing feature of chiropractic is manipulation that is a load delivered by hand, to specific tissues (usually a short lever bony prominence) with therapeutic intent. Chiropractic spinal manipulation results in somatovisceral reflexes, which can affect the cardiovascular system and thereby reduce blood pressure. Areas of the spine known to cause such effects are the upper cervical region and the upper thoracic region. Increased blood pressure/hypertension is a global disorder. The incidence is increasing and leads to complications of cardiovasular disease and cerebral vascular accidents OBJECTIVES The objectives of the study were to determine whether spinal manipulation evokes somatovisceral reflexes and causes a reduction in blood pressure following an atlanto-axial (C0/C1), and Thoracic segments one to five manipulations (T1-T5). METHODS Forty, asymptomatic, normotensive males between the ages of 20 – 35 years of age participated in the study. All subjects underwent four consecutive days of intervention. Day one was sham laser. Day two was C0/C1 spinal manipulation. Day three was T1-T5 thoracic manipulation. Day four was a combination of C0/C1 and T1-T5 spinal manipulations. RESULTS The results of this study suggest that blood pressure decreases following a cervical or a thoracic manipulation, however a combination of the manipulations does not have a significant cumulative effect on the reduction of blood pressure. iv CONCLUSIONS Somatovisceral reflexes are evoked following a spinal manipulation, causing a reduction in blood pressure after an upper cervical or upper thoracic manipulation. Neurophysiological effects occurring as a result of spinal manipulation may inhibit or excite somatosomatic reflexes, which changes heart rate and blood pressure.