Traditional Chinese Medicine Talks to You about Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is a disease that occurs when the coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked. When cholesterol accumulates on the arterial wall to form plaques, it is called atherosclerosis, which is the main cause of coronary heart disease. These plaques will gradually form blood clots, which will slowly lead to narrowing or complete occlusion of the arteries, reducing or blocking the blood flow to the heart, causing people to have more serious health problems. The more typical symptoms of coronary heart disease are chest tightness, chest pain, fatigue, and dyspnea induced by myocardial ischemia. At present, there are many treatments for coronary heart disease, including traditional Chinese medicine treatment. Through traditional Chinese medicine treatment, the patient's coronary heart disease can be well controlled and the quality of life of patients with coronary heart disease can be comprehensively improved. The main reason for coronary heart disease in traditional Chinese medicine is blood stasis. There are two main reasons for blood stasis. One is that the heart's yang qi is weak and cannot promote blood circulation in the veins. The second is that qi and blood stasis, phlegm, and blood stasis block the meridians and hinder the smooth flow of the veins. At present, many people still do not know enough about coronary heart disease. The following is some popular science information about coronary heart disease in traditional Chinese medicine, hoping to help people learn more about coronary heart disease.

1. TCM’s understanding of coronary heart disease

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the occurrence of coronary heart disease is due to aging, impaired organ function, imbalance of yin and yang, and the influence of the seven emotions and six evils, which lead to qi stagnation and blood stasis, chest yang deficiency, and endogenous phlegm, which block the heart vessels and cause coronary heart disease. There are many ways to treat coronary heart disease in traditional Chinese medicine, but the key lies in "unblocking", and the premise of "unblocking" is warming. The methods are nothing more than four ways: tonifying deficiency, relieving depression, resolving phlegm, and activating blood circulation. At different stages, the pathogenesis focuses on different aspects, and traditional Chinese medicine also focuses on the treatment of coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease is prone to occur in people over 40 years old. If they are not careful in conditioning, have an irregular diet, love cold drinks, eat too much fatty and sweet food, or overwork and rest, these will lead to weak internal organs, mainly weak heart yang.

2. TCM dialectical classification of coronary heart disease

(1) Heart Qi Deficiency Type: This type of patient has paroxysmal chest pain, palpitations, chest tightness, shortness of breath, fatigue, pale complexion, or spontaneous sweating when moving. The tongue is pale and fat with teeth marks, the tongue coating is thin and white, and the pulse is thin or intermittent. (2) Heart Yang Deficiency Type: Chest tightness, heart pain persists, and the heart pain is aggravated after catching a cold, accompanied by palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, pale complexion, spontaneous sweating, etc. The tongue is pale and fat, and the pulse is thin and deep or slow. It is also accompanied by symptoms such as soreness of the waist and knees, frequent urination at night, and edema. This is called heart and kidney yang deficiency. (3) Heart Yin Deficiency Type: Paroxysmal heart pain, burning discomfort, irritability, insomnia, chest tightness, hot hands and feet, etc. The tongue is red with little coating and the pulse is thin and rapid. (4) Heart Yang Deficiency Type: This type of patient has severe heart pain, profuse sweating, indifferent expression, pale or dull complexion. The tongue is dull, the pulse is thin and weak, and the blood pressure drops. (5) Blood stasis in the heart: chest pain, pain in a fixed location, symptoms like the heart is pierced by a needle or cut by a knife, chest tightness and shortness of breath, swelling of the ribs. The tongue is purple or has petechiae and ecchymosis, sublingual pulse is stagnant, and the pulse is thin, astringent or intermittent. (6) Phlegm and turbidity obstruction in the body: chest and abdominal distension, heart pain and discomfort, palpitations, sticky mouth and poor appetite. Accompanied by nausea, abdominal distension, thick and greasy tongue coating or dirt, slippery or intermittent pulse.

3. Chinese medicine for treating coronary heart disease

In clinical practice, TCM treatment of coronary heart disease is mainly carried out according to symptom classification, but the overall treatment principle is to tonify the kidney and replenish qi and promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. The main drugs used are astragalus, angelica, safflower, Panax notoginseng, Chuanxiong, Salvia miltiorrhiza, red peony root, Pinellia ternata, etc. Among them, astragalus can promote the circulation of body fluid and blood, and has the effect of strengthening the body, replenishing qi and consolidating the foundation; Angelica has the effect of nourishing the heart; Red peony root and safflower have the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis; Panax notoginseng can effectively dredge the meridians, remove blood stasis and relieve pain; Chuanxiong and Salvia miltiorrhiza have the effect of promoting new blood and removing blood stasis, Chuanxiong can effectively reduce myocardial oxygen consumption, inhibit platelet aggregation and inhibit thrombus formation; Pinellia ternata has the effect of promoting qi and removing phlegm. The above-mentioned Chinese medicines work together to effectively improve the blood flow of the coronary artery, increase myocardial contractility, and improve microcirculation, achieving the effects of invigorating qi, unblocking the meridians and promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.

4. Advantages of TCM in treating coronary heart disease

(1) The treatment risk is relatively small, the side effects of Chinese medicine are relatively low, and it can expel toxins from the human body. (2) Chinese medicine emphasizes treatment and health care together, which can not only help patients with coronary heart disease take care of their own bodies, but also enhance their resistance. (3) Although Chinese medicine treatment is slow to take effect, the symptoms will not recur repeatedly.

5. Traditional Chinese medicine can prevent and reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease

(1) Eat a reasonable and scientific diet, reduce the intake of fat and cholesterol, and focus on light food. Eat a reasonable and scientific combination of meat and green vegetables to ensure balanced nutrition. Smoking and drinking are prohibited. (2) Strengthen the control of underlying diseases. Patients with hypertension and diabetes need to control disease-inducing factors and keep their blood pressure and blood sugar indicators within a scientific range. (3) Pay attention to physical exercise, do a certain amount of aerobic exercise every day, and improve the patient's physical fitness. (4) Strengthen mental regulation, keep a happy mood, and do not be too happy or too sad.

The above is TCM's understanding and treatment of coronary heart disease. TCM has a long history of treating coronary heart disease, especially in the recovery period of coronary heart disease. It has obvious advantages and curative effects, can improve patients' symptoms, improve their quality of life, and prolong their lifespan. I hope that the introduction of relevant knowledge will be helpful to everyone.

Author: Yao Zhaohui, Lujiang County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Anhui Province