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Can Ear Nerve Stimulation Help Lower High Blood Pressure? Scientists Test A New Approach

Can New Nerve Stimulation Techniques Help Control High Blood Pressure?

A small, non-invasive device that stimulates nerves through the ear has shown early promise for people whose blood pressure stays high despite medication, according to a new clinical trial led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London.

The device uses a technique called transcutaneous autonomic neuromodulation, or tAN, which aims to influence the autonomic nervous system, the network of nerves that automatically controls functions like heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure, according to Queen Mary University of London. Developed by Afferent Medical Solutions, the handheld device uses two small clips placed on the tragus, the flap of cartilage just in front of the ear canal, to deliver mild electrical pulses. Patients can use it themselves at home without visiting a clinic.

The trial, called SCRATCH-HTN and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, enrolled 63 people with uncontrolled hypertension, all of whom were already taking at least one blood pressure medication but still had readings above recommended levels, per Queen Mary’s release. Participants were randomly split into two groups: one received active nerve stimulation, the other used a sham device as a comparison.

For the first two weeks, participants used their assigned device for 30 minutes daily. For the following ten weeks, that dropped to once a week.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/astrazeneca-cancer-drug-lowers-death-risk-by-42-in-advanced-stomach-cancer-trial-article-156406124" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">AstraZeneca Cancer Drug Lowers Death Risk By 42% In Advanced Stomach Cancer Trial</a>

The treatment was safe and generally well tolerated, and most participants stuck to the prescribed schedule, suggesting it could work for regular home use, according to the findings published in Hypertension, a journal of the American<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/heart-health-across-generations-how-science-can-guide-us-article-154477633" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank"> Heart</a> Association. Across the full study group, however, there was no statistically significant difference in <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/most-common-cause-of-high-blood-pressure-may-be-the-most-overlooked-one-new-guidelines-reveal-article-152295302" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">blood pressure</a> between the active stimulation group and the sham group.

There was one notable exception. Among participants who entered the trial with more severe hypertension, those receiving active stimulation showed a greater reduction in blood pressure compared to those on the sham device, per a prespecified subgroup analysis in the study.

“This is an exciting, highly patient-acceptable technology that could ultimately provide a cheap, scalable solution for millions,” said Dr. Ajay Gupta, the trial’s chief investigator and a clinical reader at Queen Mary University of London, in the university’s press release. “Although the trial did not achieve significance across the broad unselected group, those with more severe hypertension exhibited a clear blood pressure reduction in the active group compared to sham.”

He added that the study “points towards important new research directions that could help us understand whether non-invasive neuromodulation can benefit particular groups of patients with uncontrolled hypertension.”

High blood pressure is a major driver of cardiovascular disease, raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes over time. While medication helps many patients, a significant number continue to have blood pressure above target even while on treatment, which is part of why researchers are exploring additional, non-drug approaches that could work alongside existing therapies.

The researchers are clear that this is an early finding, not proof of an effective treatment. Because the subgroup result came from a relatively small trial, it will need to be confirmed in larger studies before any conclusions can be drawn about how well the device actually works, and for whom.

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A small, non-invasive device that stimulates nerves through the ear has shown early promise for people whose blood pressure stays high despite medication, according to a new clinical trial led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London.What the device doesThe device uses a technique called transcutaneous autonomic neuromodulation, or tAN, which aims to influence the autonomic nervous system, the network of nerves that automatically controls functions like heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure, according to Queen Mary University of London. Developed by Afferent Medical Solutions, the handheld device uses two small clips placed on the tragus, the flap of cartilage just in front of the ear canal, to deliver mild electrical pulses. Patients can use it themselves at home without visiting a clinic.How the trial workedThe trial, called SCRATCH-HTN and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, enrolled 63 people with uncontrolled hypertension, all of whom were already taking at least one blood pressure medication but still had readings above recommended levels, per Queen Mary’s release. Participants were randomly split into two groups: one received active nerve stimulation, the other used a sham device as a comparison.For the first two weeks, participants used their assigned device for 30 minutes daily. For the following ten weeks, that dropped to once a week.Also Read: AstraZeneca Cancer Drug Lowers Death Risk By 42% In Advanced Stomach Cancer TrialWhat the results showedThe treatment was safe and generally well tolerated, and most participants stuck to the prescribed schedule, suggesting it could work for regular home use, according to the findings published in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association. Across the full study group, however, there was no statistically significant difference in blood pressure between the active stimulation group and the sham group.There was one notable exception. Among participants who entered the trial with more severe hypertension, those receiving active stimulation showed a greater reduction in blood pressure compared to those on the sham device, per a prespecified subgroup analysis in the study.What the lead researcher said“This is an exciting, highly patient-acceptable technology that could ultimately provide a cheap, scalable solution for millions,” said Dr. Ajay Gupta, the trial’s chief investigator and a clinical reader at Queen Mary University of London, in the university’s press release. “Although the trial did not achieve significance across the broad unselected group, those with more severe hypertension exhibited a clear blood pressure reduction in the active group compared to sham.”He added that the study “points towards important new research directions that could help us understand whether non-invasive neuromodulation can benefit particular groups of patients with uncontrolled hypertension.”Why this mattersHigh blood pressure is a major driver of cardiovascular disease, raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes over time. While medication helps many patients, a significant number continue to have blood pressure above target even while on treatment, which is part of why researchers are exploring additional, non-drug approaches that could work alongside existing therapies.What comes nextThe researchers are clear that this is an early finding, not proof of an effective treatment. Because the subgroup result came from a relatively small trial, it will need to be confirmed in larger studies before any conclusions can be drawn about how well the device actually works, and for whom.