BACKGROUND: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) has gained significant attention across various professional fields as a safe and effective neuroregulatory technique. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current status, emerging trends, and potential future directions in this field, a swift and intuitive statistical analysis method is essential for summarizing the available information. METHODS: This review conducted a literature search using the Web of Science Core Collection database and utilized VOSviewer software for visualization and analysis of publication trends, countries of origin, and keywords spanning the years 1985 to 2023. RESULTS: From 1998 to 2023, a total of 1,524 reviews on RIC were published, demonstrating a consistent increase in publications over the years. China emerged as the leading contributor in terms of publication, but the average number of citations was not dominant. Current RIC research hotspots encompass mechanism studies, stroke, neuroprotection, and cardiac protection. Among these, stroke, neuroprotection, and mechanisms play a major role in future. CONCLUSIONS: There is a consistent upward trajectory in RIC research publications. While China led in terms of publication quantity, the recognition of articles still needs to be improved. Stroke, neuroprotection, and mechanism research are poised to be the primary research focal points in the present and future of RIC studies.