Hypertension

According to Ayurveda, hypertension isn't classified as a disease but rather as an imbalance of certain doshas. Improper life-style  and  food  habits,  psychological stress  factors  etc.  with  or  without  genetic predisposition  provokes  and  vitiates  all  the  three Doshas  to trigger  the pathogenesis  of  hypertension.  Blood pressure, the lateral force exerted by blood flow on artery walls, consists of systolic and diastolic components. The heart's self-exciting function during systole, attributed to Vyana Vata, facilitates blood circulation. Diastole, when the heart muscles relax, contributes to diastolic blood pressure, primarily influenced by factors such as blood vessel diameter and elasticity, associated with Kapha Dosha. The autonomic nervous system, regulating vascular tone, also affects peripheral resistance, falling under Kapha's domain. Pitta Dosha characteristics of rapidness, fluidity, and diffusion properties are evident in this process. Blood pressure regulation involves various mechanisms, including short-term neural responses and long-term adjustments driven by renal, hormonal, and local vascular factors.

Symptoms of blood pressure

Shiroruk (Headache)

Shrama (palpitation)

Krodha Prachurata (Increase anger)

Jwara (fever)

Bhrama (confusion)

Klama (lethargy)

Tamasa  Atidarshana (giddiness)

 Kampa (Tremor)

Ardita (facial palsy)

Causes of hypertension  

- High intake of salt and spicy foods

- Alcohol consumption and tobacco use

- Psychological stress

- Hereditary factors

- Consumption of fatty foods leading to obesity and hyperlipidemia, which can result in atherosclerosis in blood vessels

- Lack of physical activity

Management of hypertension

Treatment of hypertension should be planned according to the vitiation of three humors and the tissue factors.

 ▪ Nidana Parivarjana (Avoiding causative factors)

 ▪ Lifestyle Modification

▪ Sodhana Cikitsa (purificatory treatment)

▪ Samana Cikitsa (palliative treatment)

If the patient is having Uttama bala (Good strength) and having mild/moderate type of hypertension without any other complication then Sodhana procedures like- Virechana (purgation), Basti (enema), Raktamokshana (bloodletting)  can  be  advised. 

Single herbal medication which can be used for hypertension are :

·       Brahmi- It is cardiotonic, and reduces the anxiety, serum creatinine and blood pressure

·       Sarpagandha  - controls nerve impulse along the pathway that affects the heart and blood vessels. It depletes the catecholamines and serotonin which causes vasodilation and reduces peripheral resistance

·       Sankhapushpi- Controls the production of stress hormone.  Its ethanolic extract has been found to reduce cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids 

Lifestyle modification like timely intake of balanced diet, more use of fruits and green vegetables, regular physical exercise, daily brisk walking for half an hour, timely sleeping and awakening, regular practice of Yoga and meditation will helps to control and prevent hypertension. Ayurvedic principles can help mitigate the rising prevalence of lifestyle-related conditions like hypertension and reduce the risks associated with drug therapy.