Heart disease and stroke are mainly consequences of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure (hypertension). Heart disease is sometimes included in the broader category of atherosclerotic and hypertensive diseases. Risk factors for heart disease and stroke have been well established for many years. Distinct from age, family history, and possible genetic determinants are modifiable risk factors that cause heart attacks and strokes, including high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes. Behaviors that contribute to development of risk factors for heart disease, partly by causing obesity, include adverse dietary patterns and physical inactivity.

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Social and environmental conditions that may determine such behavioral patterns, in turn, include education and income, cultural influences, family and personal habits, and opportunities to make favorable choices.For example, dietary patterns result from the influences of food production policies, marketing practices, product availability, cost, convenience, knowledge, choices that affect health, and preferences that are often based on early-life habits. Because many aspects of behavior are clearly beyond the control of the individual, the scope of heart disease and Stroke and stroke prevention, from the public health perspective, extends far beyond the individual or the patient. Thus, a comprehensive public health strategy for heart disease prevention must address the broader determinants of risk and disease burden as they affect both the population as a whole and particular groups of special concern, including those determinants that make healthier choices more likely for defeating heart disease.

Keywords: Chinese medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, cardiology, coronary heart disease (CHD), coronary artery disease (CAD)

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Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease (CAD), refers to athero- and arteriosclerosis of the large and medium-sized arteries supplying the heart. Arteriosclerosis is a generic term for thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls, thus restricting and reducing blood flow through those arteries. Atherosclerosis is the most common form of arteriosclerosis. The major complications of CHD are angina pectoris, myocardial infarction (MI), arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. The following clinical trials and case histories exemplifying the contemporary Chinese medical treatment of CHD are taken from a recently published book by Blue Poppy Press, The Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases with Chinese Medicine, of which I am a co-author.

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Clinical trial 1

In this clinical trial, (1) 40 patients suffering from CHD were treated primarily employing the method of quickening blood and transforming stasis. Out of the 40 cases, 25 were male and 15 were female. Their age was 55-60 years in 10 cases, 61-65 years in 16 cases, and 66-70 in 14 cases. Their disease course had lasted less than one year in 10 cases, 1-3 years in 18 cases, and three years or more in 12 cases. Twenty-nine patients also suffered from hypertension and 11 cases also suffered from diabetes. All 40 cases were diagnosed with CHD according to the criteria published in Shi Yong Zhong Xi Bing Jie He Lin Chuang Shou Ce (Clinical Handbook of the Practice of Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine).

The patients were divided into two groups: cold phelgm stasis and hot phlegm stasis. The basic prescription for both groups consisted of Rhizoma Corydalis Yanhuso (Yan Hu Suo), Radix Ligustici Wallichii (Chuan Xiong), Fructus Crataegi (Shan Zha), Lignum Dalbergiae Odoriferae (Jiang Xiang), Fructus Trichosanthis Kirlowii (Gua Lou), and Flos Carthami Tinctorii (Hong Hua), 15g each. For patients suffering from cold phlegm stasis, Radix Codonopsitis Pilosulae (Dang Shen), 20g, Ramulus Cinnamomi Cassiae (Gui Zhi), 10g, and Bulbus Allii (Xie Bai), 15g, were added. For patients suffering from hot phlegm stasis, Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis (Huang Qin), and Radix Scrophulariae Ningpoensis (Xuan Shen), 15g each, were added. Furthermore, the following additions were made based on presenting symptoms and signs: For pronounced angina pain, 15 grams each of Feces Trogopterori seu Pteromi (Wu Ling Zhi) and Pollen Typhae (Pu Huang) were added. For pronounced hypertension, 25 grams of Ramulus Uncariae Cum Uncis (Gou Teng), 15 grams of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae (Niu Xi), and 50 grams of Conchae Margaritiferae (Zhen Zhu Mu) were added. For insomnia with profuse dreams, 25 grams each of Semen Zizyphi Spinosae (Suan Zao Ren) and Caulis Polygoni Multiflori (Shou Wu Teng) were added. For pronounced chest oppression, 20 grams of Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis (Hou Po) were added. One packet of these medicinals was decocted in water and administered per day, with 10 days equaling one course of treatment. In addition, patients suffering from pronounced hypertension were administered Fu Fang Jiang Ya Pian (Compound Lower the [Blood] Pressure Tablets), and patients suffering from diabetes received phenethyldiguanide (Phenformin).