Botanical medicine for hypertension.
Articles Structure :
3. Why herbal medicine and naturopathy has advantages over synthetic drugs?
4. What herbs are used and why?
Hypertension (GB) is a chronic disease associated primarily with the peculiarities of lifestyle, diet and violation of the nervous regulation of vascular tone.
The main manifestation of hypertension is an increase in blood pressure, not associated with pathological processes.
However, not the increased pressure itself is dangerous (it is not always manifested by symptoms). The fact that high blood pressure damages the small vessels and arterioles of many organs, including the heart muscle.
Moreover, simultaneously with hypertension develops and atherosclerotic vascular damage.
In other words, it is a disease of civilization, the reaction of the body to the modern way of life.
The main symptoms of the disease include:
• headaches, especially in the occipital area;
• dizziness;
• heart palpitations (tachycardia));
• redness of face, chest;
• sensation of pulsation in the head;
• chills of visible causes;
3. Why herbal medicine and naturopathy has advantages over synthetic drugs?
Naturopathic approach seeks to influence the root causes of diseases. The standard recommendation is to change the lifestyle, abandon bad habits, change the diet. But behind such vague language should be more specific recommendations.
Indications and role of phytotherapy in the treatment of hypertension:
1. Absolute indications for herbal medicine – stage 1 GB (systolic pressure 140-159 , diastolic pressure – 90-99).
2. Relative readings -2 stage GB (SD 160-179, 100-109 DD).
Compatibility of herbal medicine with standard regimens:
1.β-adrenoblokatory + plants with vasodilating action.
2. Diuretics + plants, contributing to reduce the frequency and strength of heart / plants with sedative-hypnotic effect.
Important! Treatment of hypertension should be carried out in stages:
1) Filling the deficit of macronutrients, magnesium and potassium.
2) Increase of phytonutrients in the diet
3) Selection of herbs that reduce blood pressure. Accounting compatibility and herbal medicine antihypertensive drugs.
Replenishment of magnesium deficiency.
In the population, the frequency of magnesium deficiency reaches 46%
Cardiovascular symptoms characteristic of magnesium balance disorders in the body include lability of vascular tone, angiospasm, regional circulatory disorders, cardiac arrhythmia, increased duration or dispersion of the QT interval, increased platelet aggregation, accelerated atherosclerosis [
In persons with hypertension from regions with magnesium deficiency, a significant ion delay (20-33%) was observed when performing a stress test, indicating a lack of magnesium in the body. The use of magnesium preparations for 4 weeks in patients with hypomagnesemia and hypertension was accompanied by a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), as well as aldosterone secretion. Adverse effects of magnesium deficiency are noted in the form of increased tone of coronary vessels, as well as increasing their sensitivity to vasoconstrictor agents: serotonin, angiotensin, noradrenaline, acetylcholine [37,
In one study of a group of elderly people (mean age 64,8±4,2 years) with untreated or ineffectively treated hypertension of 1-2 degrees of high and very high risk, the addition of Magnerot® to standard antihypertensive therapy for 24 did not allow to achieve significantly lower numbers of systolic and diastolic blood PRESSURE according to the daily monitoring of blood PRESSURE compared to patients randomized by age, duration of disease, antihypertensive therapy, the risk of complications of hypertension, who did not receive the drug magnesium.
Replenishment of potassium deficiency.
In a large study of inter-SALT it was found that the consumption of potassium (according to its daily excretion) is an important factor determining the level of blood PRESSURE in the population, regardless of sodium intake. And with concomitant heart failure and conditions that require the use of drugs, in addition to violating the electrolyte balance of the body, the mechanisms of potassium homeostasis are even more violated, which confirmed the need for monitoring and correction of potassium levels.
It is believed that the minimum daily intake of potassium is 1.6–2 g. the recommended dose of potassium is 4.7 g per day for men and women aged 51 years and older. In addition, in the United States, it was found that the risk of stroke in people who consumed 4.3 g of potassium per day was 38% lower than in those who took 2.4 g of potassium per day. The preventive effect of dietary potassium was more pronounced in individuals with hypertension than in normotensive individuals. it is Proved that an increase in daily potassium intake by 10 mmol reduces the risk of death from stroke by 40%.
Increase in phytonutrients in the diet
A spectrum of tomato carotenoids.
The results of epidemiological studies indicate that high levels of carotenoids in the diet are associated with a decrease in the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.
Flavonoids.
Consumption of catechins and anthocyanidins may be beneficial for metabolism, can lead to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in the short term, may further improve glycemic control in patients at risk or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
4. What herbs are used and why?
Directions for use of herbal medicine:
1. Plants with sedative action.
It is known that nervous tension and stress make a huge contribution to the exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases, the occurrence of hypertensive crises and vascular catastrophes. Therefore, it is necessary to use herbs with a calming effect (medical type of nutmeg, blue cyanosis, Heather, Jasper, lavender essential oil).
2. Plants that reduce blood pressure (mountain Arnica, sushenitsa, hawthorn).
3. Plants, contributing to the expansion of blood vessels (small periwinkle, Astragalus sherstistotsvetkovogo, ginkobiloba, ginger).
4. Plants with diuretic properties (orthosiphon stamen, drugstore repeshok, prickly stalnik).
Lowering blood pressure with the use of mineral salt with low sodium content and high content of potassium and magnesium in the elderly with hypertension / J. M. Geleijnse, J. C. M. Witteman, I. N. denBreeijen, D. E. Grobbee, A. A. A. bak // Regular issues of “BC”. – 2006. – â„–11.
New recommendations for potassium replacement in clinical practice: a current review of the National Council for potassium in clinical practice / J. N. Cohn, P. R. Kowey, P. K. Whelton, L. M. Prisant // Arch. Intern. Medical. – 2000. – №160 (16). – P. 2429-2436.
Rational Pharmacotherapy in Cardiology 2012;8(4)MAGNESIUM IN CLINICAL PRACTICE E. L. Trichotoma*
37. Nadler J. L., Rude R. K. magnesium metabolism disorders. EndocrinolMetabClinNorthAm
1995; 24:623-641.