From "Numerical Value" to "Syndrome and Target": A Review of the Concept and Strategy of Hypertension Treatment in Chinese Medicine

A brief summary of the concepts, strategies, methods and mechanisms of Chinese medicine treatment for hypertension in recent years is presented, focusing on the conceptual shift of endpoint events from emphasizing the numerical value of blood pressure to syndromes and target organs, and the strategic shift from "meeting the blood pressure standard" to "sooner meeting the standard", as well as the progress in inheriting and expanding the pathogenesis theory, scientifically interpreting the connotation of syndrome, innovating and optimizing the use of prescriptions, and elucidating the mechanisms of pharmacological targets. In response to the problems of insufficient understanding and inheritance, short of innovation, and flimsy evidence of "reaching the target at the initial stage", we propose the research strategy of "the combination of numerical value-syndrome-target" for the prevention and treatment of hypertension with Chinese medicine and its efficacy evaluation, with the research orientation of "differentiation, complementation, and comparative advantage" of the western medicine treatment, together with the research idea of "regarding the research starting point as the ending point of heart, brain, and kidney". In addition, we analyze and prospect the frontier exploration directions in terms of clarifying our own positioning, exploring the art of integration, keeping the positive and upgrading development, expanding the formulae thinking, accumulating evidence-based facts, innovating evaluation methods, and elucidating target mechanisms.