Abstract:

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent conditions seen worldwide. An estimated 1.13 billion people worldwide have hypertension. It can lead to severe health complications and increases the risk of heart diseases, stroke as well as death in some cases. Hypertension accounts for 6% of death worldwide. Hypertension is generally classified into 2; namely primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary or essential hypertension in which the cause of hypertension is unknown. And about 80- 95% patients of hypertension is included in this category. Whereas, secondary hypertension in which the blood pressure is due to the diseases of kidney, endocrine or some other organs and this comprises about 5-20% of cases of hypertension. Unani physicians well described hypertension in the context of imtila. They were aware of zaghtae- damvi (blood pressure) and said that hypertension occur due to su’e-mizajdamvi. They described most of the manifestations of hypertension such as headache, vertigo, epistaxis, palpitation due to imtila. Physicians also believed that hypertension is a manifestation of yabusat-e-mizaj (dryness) which is a main cause of atherosclerosis.