The characteristics and principles of acupoint selection in auricular plaster therapy for hypertension were explored. By searching CNKI (search time from 1950 to November of 2015), VIP database (search time from 1989 to November of 2015) and WanFang Database (search time from 1983 to November of 2015), the clinical research literature regarding auricular plaster therapy for hypertension was collected, and frequency statistics method was used for analysis. As a result, totally 117 articles were included. The auricular points with frequency from high to low were Jiangyagou, Shenmen (TF4), Gan (CO12), Xin (CO15), Shen (CO10), Jiaogan (AH6a), Pizhixia (AT4), Jiangyadian and Neifenmi. The TCM syndromes with frequency from high to low were excessive accumulation of phlegm-dampness syndrome, upper hyperactivity of liver yang syndrome, yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity syndrome and excessive liver-fire syndrome. In conclusion, based on cross-reference of TCM and modern medicine combination of zangfu and meridians differentiation and valuing the auricular points from clinical experience, the auricular plaster therapy for hypertension was characterized with "treating the principal and subordinate symptoms simultaneously and respectively" and "differentiation-based selection of auricular points to regulate zangfu", which could fully take the anti-hypertension advantages of non-pharmacotherapy.
Keywords: auricular points; characteristics of auricular point selection; hypertension; principle of auricular point selection.