Abstract
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) considers Hypertension (HT) as one of the most important causes of premature death worldwide. It is directly responsible for 57% of all deaths due to stroke and 24% of all deaths due to coronary heart disease deaths in India. Recent studies conducted on Indian population have shown that the prevalence of hypertension in urban areas is 25%, whereas, it is 10% in rural areas.1 According to the statistics of the WHO, homoeopathy is the second most useful health care system in the world. However, a meta-analysis in 2005 concluded that the clinical effects of homoeopathy are nothing but placebo effects.2 Although a conflicting conclusion was arrived at earlier in 1997 by another meta-analysis.3 The aim of this study was to evaluate whether individualized homoeopathic medicines could produce any significant hypotensive effect different from placebo in patients with essential hypertension by comparing the lowering of blood pressure level between groups. Settings and Design: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm clinical trial was conducted at Dr. Nishant Daryani’s clinic, Jaipur & Dr. Nivedita Pattanaik’s clinic, Udaipur. (Raj.). Material and Methods: Total 233 hypertensive patients were assessed for eligibility, out of which 150 were enrolled and randomized for the study (verum/homoeopathy 70 &control/placebo 80). Among 150 patients 18 were dropped out during the study while 132 remained under regular follow up (verum 64, control 68). The outcome measures were assessed at the end of 3 and 6 months. Results: The baseline data were not significantly different between the groups. After 6 months, mean Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) in the homoeopathy group reduction was 26.6 mm Hg (95% CI 21.5, 31.7) whereas SBP in the placebo group increased by 3.6 mm Hg (95% CI -8.7, 1.5). Similarly, the mean Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) in the homoeopathy group reduced by 11.8 mm Hg (95% CI 9.2, 14.4) whereas DBP increased by 1.6 mm Hg (95% CI -3.6, 0.4) in the placebo group. Repeated measures ANOVA also showed significant difference (P=0.0001) between the groups. Detailed case recording of each patient was done on Case recording format (CRF) following guidelines laid down by Master Hahnemann in Organon of Medicine4 and Kent's philosophy5 . Wherever required repertorization was done from synthesis repertory using RADAR software version 10.56 and final selection of medicine was done through Homoeopathic Materia Medica. Frequently prescribed medicines were Natrum mur., Lachesis, Glonoine, Gelsemium, Bryonia alba, Aurum met., Pulsatilla, Sulphur, Digitalis and Belladonna. Conclusion: Individualized homoeopathic medicines produced a significant hypotensive effect comparing to placebo.
