AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON PEDIATRIC HYPERTENSION

All individuals wish to lead a long, healthy, and disease-free life and naturally hope the same for their children. However, changes in lifestyle and dietary habits—such as lack of regular physical activity, increased consumption of junk food, oily and spicy diets, and exposure to contaminated or unhealthy foods—have contributed significantly to the rising burden of lifestyle-related disorders. Hypertension is one such condition. Hypertension is regarded as a complex disorder and a major contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although it was traditionally considered a disease of adulthood, the age of onset is gradually shifting towards younger populations due to ongoing changes in diet and lifestyle, making it an important public health concern. In children and adolescents, hypertension can lead to early target-organ damage, while its long-term consequences include structural and functional alterations in vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain.[1] Given the diverse etiological factors involved, the pathophysiology of hypertension is multifactorial. In this context, an attempt has been made to understand hypertension through Ayurvedic principles and to explore its management from an Ayurvedic perspective.