Researchers find acupuncture effective for the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). Using Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) scans, researchers from the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital document that acupuncture produces a 70.1% blood perfusion improvement in ischemic myocardium CHD patients, while sublingual administration of nitroglycerine produces a 77.4% improvement. [1] The SPECT scans indicate that acupuncture produces clinically significant results. Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) is a nuclear imaging test used to diagnose coronary artery disease and other heart problems. [2] It uses venous injection of radioactive materials to produce images of the heart. On the images, the areas where the heart's blood circulation is healthy appear light. Areas with poor blood circulation are dark. The imaging results indicate that acupuncture benefits blood circulation to the heart. CHD, also known as coronary artery disease, occurs when the coronary arteries are either damaged or diseased. CHD is typically due to plaque buildups within the coronary arteries and inflammation. This causes a lack of blood and oxygen supply to the myocardium (heart muscular tissue). Initially, the condition may be asymptomatic but angina, shortness of breath, or even a heart attack may ensue in later stages of the illness. It is imperative that the blood and oxygen supply is restored to the heart. Now, advanced imaging finds acupuncture a helpful tool in restoration of blood flow. The researchers observe, “Many studies have proven that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) through increasing myocardial blood perfusion. However, the current studies are mainly based on clinical symptoms and laboratory tests. There is a lack of a direct, visible, and quantifiable method to measure acupuncture’s effectiveness for the treatment of CHD.” They add that “SPECT provides a new research method for the study of coronary heart disease. It is a non-invasive and effective tool for macroscopically observing blood perfusion and cell function in human organs.” Full article https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1888-acupuncture-heart-disease-blood-and-oxygen-benefit