Traditional Chinese medicine treatment for heart failure.

Heart failure (also known as congestive heart failure) is a term used to describe a condition in which the heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.

Causes of heart failure

The most common cause of heart failure is conditions that damage the heart muscle.

The second cause of heart failure is overworking the heart.

- Volume overload occurs when the heart is forced to pump too much blood. This overload is caused by leaky heart valves, allowing blood to rush backward into the heart. This condition can exhaust the heart, leading to heart failure.

- Volume overload occurs when a weakened heart needs to pump excessively to overcome resistance. This can happen when the heart valves are narrowed, when the sac surrounding the heart (pericardium) is scarred and constricted (constrictive pericarditis) or fills with fluid causing compression of the heart, or in some cases, when the myocardium is so damaged that it becomes "stiff" and cannot expand enough to receive blood return.

Northern Schisandra.

Heart failure causes insufficient blood supply to internal organs (including the heart itself) and muscles, so typical symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, cough, and edema.

Shortness of breath

This is a common early symptom of heart failure. Usually, shortness of breath develops gradually, so patients can progressively reduce their activities to avoid this discomfort.

Difficulty breathing requires sitting down.

Patients with heart failure, especially when the heart failure is advanced, often find it easier to breathe when the upper body is elevated (using a pillow or sitting up).

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

This phenomenon is similar to sitting dyspnea but describes transient episodes of severe shortness of breath that occur at night while the patient is lying down and may not resolve after sitting up.

Tired

In addition to the respiratory symptoms mentioned above, fatigue is also a typical symptom of heart failure, due to insufficient blood supply to the muscles, making it difficult to perform strenuous activities or even everyday life activities.

Swelling and cough

When the heart is unable to pump blood effectively, fluid accumulates in the legs, ankles, and sometimes the abdomen, a condition known as edema. Fluid can also accumulate in the lungs, causing congestive heart failure. Pulmonary congestion can lead to persistent coughing or wheezing.

Treatment of heart failure

According to traditional Chinese medicine, heart failure falls under the categories of heart palpitations, chest tightness, coughs, weakness, edema, etc. The fundamental cause of heart failure is insufficient heart and blood vessels; external pathogens, irregular diet, and excessive sexual activity are contributing factors. Heart failure has the following forms:

Both the body's vital energy and blood are deficient.

Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, breathlessness, reluctance to speak, pale lips, dark complexion, pale and swollen tongue with thin coating, weak and thready pulse.

Treatment principle: Replenish vital energy and blood, nourish the heart and calm the mind.

Prescription: Modified Gui Pi Tang: Codonopsis pilosula 15g, Astragalus membranaceus 20g, Glycyrrhiza glabra 5g, Poria cocos 12g, Ziziphus jujuba seed 12g, Saussurea costus 6g, Polygala tenuifolia 10g, Atractylodes macrocephala 15g, Angelica sinensis 20g, Longan fruit 15g. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Heart and kidney deficiency syndrome

Shortness of breath, palpitations, difficulty sleeping, thirst, dry throat, flushed cheeks, tinnitus, red tongue coating, and a rapid, thready pulse.

Treatment principle: Nourish the yin in the heart and kidneys, calm the mind and soothe the nerves.

Prescription: Modified Tianwang Buxin Dan: Rehmannia glutinosa 12g, Scrophularia ningpoensis 12g, Salvia miltiorrhiza 15g, Asparagus cochinchinensis 12g, Ophiopogon japonicus 12g, Angelica sinensis 12g, Thuja orientalis 12g, Ziziphus jujuba 12g, Polygonatum odoratum 12g, Platycodon grandiflorus 12g, Schisandra chinensis 5g. Decoction to be taken once a day.

Heart blood stasis

- The person is tired, weak, anxious, has an irregular heartbeat, wheezing, shortness of breath when lying down, a dark complexion, cyanotic lips, and bluish fingertips. The tongue has a purplish tinge with petechiae (blood clots). The pulse is weak or rapid.

Treatment method: Promote blood circulation and dissolve blood stasis.

Prescription: Modified Peach Kernel and Safflower Decoction: Angelica sinensis 15g, Salvia miltiorrhiza 15g, Curcuma longa 10g, Carthamus tinctorius 6g, Peach kernel 15g, Os draconis 15g, Ostrea gigas 15g, Corydalis yanhusuo 12g, Cinnamomum cassia 10g, Ligusticum chuanxiong 10g, Glycyrrhiza glabra 5g.

- Rapid heartbeat, generalized edema, emaciation, poor appetite, loose stools, white tongue coating, weak and thready pulse.

Treatment principle: Warm the spleen and tonify the kidneys, promote yang energy and diuresis.

Prescription: Modified Zhenwu Decoction: Prepared Aconite root 6g, Mulberry bark 12g, Atractylodes rhizome 15g, Poria cocos 20g, Cinnamon twig 10g, fresh ginger 5 slices, Alisma rhizome 15g, White peony root 15g, Plantago seed 15g. Decoct and drink one dose per day. Add 750ml of water and decoct until 250ml remains. Divide into three doses and drink while still hot.

According to Health and Life