Ayurvedic Understanding of Essential Hypertension: A Systematic Review

Background: High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of today’s most common and dangerous health concerns, silently contributing to heart disease, stroke, and other serious complications. In Ayurveda, an age-old concept known as Shonita dushti describes a similar disturbance in the blood (Rakta dhatu). Ancient physicians linked this to a mix of factors such as the food we eat, the way we live, our emotional state, the seasons, and even our prakruti. Interestingly, many of these ancient observations aligns with what modern medicine recognizes as risk factors for hypertension. Objective: This review is set out to bridge two worlds exploring how classical Ayurvedic descriptions of Shonita dushti connects with modern biomedical understanding of essential hypertension, with a focus on causes (nidana), disease progression (samprapti), and clinical signs (rupa). Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematically searched review of both Ayurvedic classics and peer-reviewed medical research is done. The sources includeds Pubmed, Google scholar and renowned ayurveda and modern textbooks. Results: Ayurveda identifies six major categories of causes for Shonita Dushti: dietary habits, lifestyle patterns, psychological stress, seasonal influences, physiological changes, and environmental factors. These match closely with today’s recognized hypertension risks - such as high salt consumption, alcohol intake, inactivity, emotional strain, overwork, and climate extremes. Both systems describe similar underlying processes, including increased vascular resistance, imbalance in autonomic regulation, and fluid retention. Symptoms like headaches (shirashoola), dizziness (bhrama), fatigue (klama), palpitations (hṛtspandana), excessive sweating (svedadhikya), and poor sleep (nidranasha) appear in both traditions. Conclusion: Ayurveda’s perspective on Shonita Duṣhṭi not only aligns with modern views on hypertension but also offers a rich framework for prevention. By integrating Ayurvedic lifestyle guidance with contemporary medical care, we may be able to offer patients a more complete and holistic approach to manage blood pressure and protecting heart health.