A Review on the Acceptability of Use of Traditional, Complimentary, and Alternative Medicines in the Management of Hypertension

Abstract

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of published studies on the acceptability of the use of TCAM (Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine) in the management of hypertension. Hypertension as a long-term disease cannot be managed by drug therapy only, with that, a series of articles are included to provide evidence of how TCAM alleviates the condition of people suffering from hypertension. TCAM as the totality of expertise based on theories, concepts, and experiences in treating several conditions is essential in the healthcare system. In search of existing literature, the following databases are used: PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Cochrane. Literatures retrieved were classified and analyzed to evaluate the acceptability of the use of TCAM on the management of hypertension. Their health improves when they use traditional medicinal plants. However, a few people reported dizziness, stomach discomfort, burning, an unpleasant feeling, a drop in blood pressure and sugar, and a few persons were unsure. While Yoga, Meditation, Relaxation Techniques, Acupressure, and Acupuncture are among the most popular alternative medicine interventions that have been shown to lower blood pressure despite this evidence, it has not been proved clearly that they may be used to manage hypertension. Furthermore, the significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of hypertensive patients from the use of complementary and alternative interventions in the various articles reviewed can contribute positively to the reduction of blood pressure. Results found that TCAM has long been utilized to manage hypertension and the use of some TCAMs can be an acceptable means to manage hypertension, according to the studies.