Ear nerve stimulation shows promise for severe uncontrolled hypertension

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London tested a device from Afferent Medical Solutions that delivers electrical pulses via clips on the tragus to stimulate the autonomic nervous system. In the 63-patient SCRATCH-HTN trial the treatment was safe and usable at home but did not significantly lower blood pressure overall; a pre-planned subgroup analysis found a larger reduction in patients with more severe hypertension.

• Trial enrolled 63 patients with uncontrolled hypertension
• Treatment used 30 minutes daily for two weeks, then weekly for 10 weeks
• No significant overall effect versus sham, but benefit seen in severe cases
• The device is non-invasive and self-administered at home