Kai Chen Ph.D. in
Chinese Medicine
TCM Dr. in British Columbia, Canada
205 Burnside Road East, Victoria, B.C. V9A 1A4 Canada
|
TCM Dr. in British Columbia, Canada 205 Burnside Road East, Victoria, B.C. V9A 1A4 Canada |
|
|
Coronary heart disease Introduction Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a
common ischemic heart disorder that is caused by coronary artery
arteriosclerosis. Angina is chest
pain resulting from an insufficient blood supply to the heart. The reduction in
blood supply is often the result of arteriosclerosis, which causes a partially
blocking of the coronary arteries. Angina is described as a burning, squeezing,
tightness, pressure or heaviness in the chest, over sternum that may radiate to
the throat, jaw, left arm, and hand. It may often produce a strangling or
frightening sensation and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fainting,
sweating, and cool extremities. Angina usually lasts only a few minutes and
subsides after a short rest. Angina episodes often follow physical exertion but
may also occur after emotional excitement, exposure to cold, or a large meal.
Myocardial infarction (MI) is the death of heart muscle due to the loss
of blood supply. Usually, it is caused by the formation of a blood clot,
resulting from arteriosclerosis, which significantly narrows the coronary
arteries. The cardinal symptom of MI is persistent pain that is often described
as heavy, squeezing, or crushing. Approximately one quarter of all heart attacks
are silent, without chest pain. Other symptoms are heartburn, indigestion, back
pain, general malaise, nausea, and shortness of breath. Death of heart tissue
also causes electrical instability of the heart muscle leading to ventricular
fibrillation that is a main reason of MI caused death. TCM etiology and pathology In TCM, two disorders, Xiong bi
(chest obstruction syndrome) and Zhen xin tong (Truly Heart pain) are related to
CHD. The main symptom of Xiong bi is a dull achy chest pain while the main
symptom of Zhen xin tong is a sharper more intense chest pain. Therefore, angina
is often diagnosed as Xiong bi and MI as Zhen xin tong. However, the etiology
and pathology of these two diseases are similar.
The common TCM causes include PEF cold invading, improper diet, emotional
imbalance, aging and poor constitution, as well as blood stasis. TCM differentiation 1. Blood stasis Clinical manifestation: A fixed
stabbing or colic pain in the left chest, radiating to the left scapular region
and down the left arm, a sensation of tightness or constriction in the chest,
palpitations together with shortness of breath are also common, purple lips,
purple tongue, uneven, knotty or taut pulse Treatment principle: Promote Blood
circulation to remove stasis Herbal prescription: Xue fu zhu yu
Tang (Decoction for removing Blood stasis in the chest) Acupuncture: Xin shu (BL15), Ge
shu(BL17), Ju que(RN14), Nei guan(PC6), Xi men(PC4) 2. Turbid Phlegm retention Clinical manifestation: Feeling of
tightness and fullness in the chest together with a dull pain radiating to the
back and left arm. Shortness of breath, palpitations, greasy tongue coating and
a slippery, uneven or knotty pulse Treatment principle: Promote
Yang-Qi and expel Phlegm Herbal Prescription: Gualou Xiebai
Banxia Tang Modification (Decoction of Trichosanthes, and Pinellia) Acupuncture: Xin shu (BL15), Ju que
(RN14), Nei guan (PC6), Zu san li (ST36), Feng long (ST40), Shan zhong (RN17) 3. Cold Stagnation in the Heart
channel Clinical manifestation: Sharp
strong pain that radiates to the back and left arm, with a sensation of cold in
the chest, the pain is aggravated by cold, cold limbs, shortness of breath,
palpitations, white tongue coating, and a tense pulse Treatment principle: Activate Yang,
eliminate cold and promote the circulation of Qi and Blood Acupuncture: Xin shu (BL15), Jue
Yin shu (BL14), Nei guan (PC6), Tong li (HT5), Shan zhong (RN17) 4. Qi stagnation Clinical manifestation: Sensation
of fullness in the chest, unfixed, moving pain that may radiate to the back and
down the left arm. The pain is aggravated by emotional changes. Palpitations,
frequent sighing, the tongue body is a light red or red color with thin fur (can
be white or yellow), and a taut pulse. Treatment principle: Smooth Qi movement and harmonizing
Blood circulation Herbal Prescription: Chai hu Shu
gan San (Formula of smoothing Liver Qi using Bupleurum) Acupuncture: Xin shu (BL15), Ju que (RN14), Nei
guan (PC6) , Shan zhong (RN17), Tai chong (Liv3) 5. Qi and Yin deficiency Clinical manifestation: Dull chest
pain aggravated by physical work, pain radiating to the back and down the left
arm, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations, dry mouth, pale or red narrow
tongue without fur or with thin white or yellow fur, weak, deep and thin pulse Treatment principle: Tonify Qi and
Yin, promoting the circulation of Qi and Blood Herbal Prescription: Sheng mai Yin
Modification Acupuncture: Xin shu (BL15), Pi shu
(BL20), Ge shu (BL17), Nei guan (PC6), Zu san li (ST36) 6. Heart Yang deficiency Clinical manifestation: Cold pain
in the left chest, pain radiates to the left shoulder blade and down the left
arm and is aggravated by cold and physical exertion. Other signs include
fatigue, cold limbs, shortness of breath, palpitations, pale and swollen tongue
body with a white or greasy fur, and a deep, weak, thin or uneven pulse. Treatment principle: Activate the
Yang and promote the circulation of Qi and Blood Herbal Prescription: Modified Shen
fu Tang (Decoction of ginseng and aconite) Acupuncture: Xin shu (BL15), Ju que
(RN14), Guan guan (RN4), Qi hai RN6), Nei guan (PC6), Zu san li (ST36), Bai hui
(Du20), Shen que (RN8) Copyright by Kai Chen Ph.D. in Chinese Medicine
|