Abstract

*Dr. Pratibha, Dr. Dipti and 3Dr. Rath Kumar Sudipta

ABSTRACT

Hypertension stands as a disease of high mortality owing to being a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, stroke and kidney diseases. Hypertension is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated 140/90 mm Hg or above. About 90–95% of cases of hypertension are regarded as "primary hypertension". Remaining 5–10% of cases (secondary hypertension) are caused by other circumstances that affect the kidneys, arteries, heart or endocrine system. Hypertension results from a variety of reasons like stress, obesity, genetic factors, over use of the salts in the diet and ageing. As we all know, hypertension is called a silent killer because it rarely exhibits symptoms before it damages the heart, brain or kidney. Though a lot of potent antihypertensive drugs are available today in modern medicine, but none of them is free from untoward effects. The principal focus of Ayurveda is on maintaining good health and adopting a healthy way of life. This paper is a sincere effort to understand hypertension in terms of Ayurveda and its management through medicinal plants which have antihypertensive activity like as Sarpagandha, Ashwagandha, Shankhapushpi, Jatamansi, Arjuna, and Punarnava.