ABSTRACTCupping or hijamah are blood suctioning process through the surface of the skin with the principle of vacuum air with uses a cup to create suction on the skin after giving superficial incisions on skin at various specific points on the body. Cupping is an alternative therapy that is often found in the community, especially for the treatment of hypertension or high blood pressure. This study aims to determine the effect of cupping therapy on systolic and diastolic blood pressure that was conducted at Klinik Sehat dr. Abdurrahman Umar Medan in 2014. This research used pre-experimental design with one group pre-test and post-test, no control group, and no randomization. Sample size were 32 people who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria that were obtained by consecutive sampling method. Measurement of blood pressure performed before and after cupping therapy. The data of blood pressure were measured using mercury sphygmomanometer. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test formula with a confidence interval of 95% or = 0.05. Univariate test results showed an average systolic blood pressure before cupping therapy was 127.50 mmHg with a standard deviation of 14.368 mmHg. Average systolic blood pressure after cupping therapy was 123.75 mmHg with a standard deviation of 13.137 mmHg. The average diastolic blood pressure before cupping therapy was 83.13 mmHg with a standard deviation of 8,590 mmHg. Average diastolic blood pressure after cupping therapy was 82.50 mmHg with a standard deviation of 8.424 mmHg. Wilcoxon test results indicate there is a significant effect on systolic blood pressure before and after cupping therapy with p = 0.025 (p < 0.05) and there is no effect on diastolic blood pressure before and after cupping therapy with p = 0.617 (p > 0.05). This suggests that cupping therapy can decrease systolic blood pressure but not diastolic blood pressure.

Keywords: Cupping Therapy, Blood Pressure, Systolic, Diastolic ii