Kai-Wei Chang1,2 Ching-Mao Chang1,3,5 Fang-Pey Chen1,4,5 Yen-Ying Kung 1,4,5*
1Center for Traditional Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
2School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
3Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University,
Taoyuan, Taiwan
4Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
5Faculty of medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
【Summary】
Aortic stenosis is not a disease classification in TCM, but according to the clinical symptoms of aortic stenosis, it shares the same attributes as the TCM disease classified as “heart impediment ”(心痹), “chest impediment ”(胸痹)or “palpitations”(心悸). Based on TCM theory, the cause of disease is related to congenital deficiency, invasion of exogenous pathogens and feeble body due to old age. These factors led to the weakness of qi, blood, yin and yang, which in turn caused phlegm blockage and blood stasis, resulted in the lack of nutrients for heart support, loss of flowing rhythm of the heart and pulse, and thus, the emergence of the clinical symptoms.
A 64-year-old woman, presented with the intermittent chest tightness, chest pain and breathing difficulties was admitted into the hospital in 2009. The patient was diagnosed with severe aortic valve stenosis and surgery was recommended by the cardiologist. However, patient refused surgery treatment and she seek for Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient clinic.The TCM treatment plan for this case was to nourish the qi and blood which promoted the blood circulation to achieve the balance of yin and yang. The main TCM formula during the course were “Mu-Fang-Ji-Tang”, “Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang” and “Sheng-Mo-Yin”, while the TCM single herbs were “Dan-Shan”, “San-Qi”, “Yu-Jin”, and “Xiang-Fu”. Since the patient has received six years of TCM treatment, the clinical symptoms of chest tightness and breathing difficulties has improved well and her condition is currently stabilized. At present, the patient is still undergoing outpatient TCM treatment. This case report could be presented as an effective clinical case study of aortic stenosis using TCM treatment.