Atherosclerosis: an integrative East-west medicine perspective

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Hao Xu1, Dazhuo Shi, Keji Chen

  • 1Cardiovascular Diseases Center, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China.

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : Ecam
|May 2, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Modern cardiology now focuses on the vulnerable patient and inflammatory processes in coronary heart disease, mirroring Traditional Chinese Medicine's holistic approach. An integrated East-West strategy may improve early detection and treatment for vulnerable patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Integrative Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Contemporary understanding of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD) has evolved from focusing on lumen stenosis to emphasizing vulnerable plaque.
  • The paradigm shift includes viewing CHD as an inflammatory reaction rather than solely lipid deposit, and identifying the 'vulnerable patient' as a key concept.
  • This evolving perspective necessitates a move towards treatments that address inflammation, plaque stabilization, and thrombosis inhibition, alongside managing the overall health of the vulnerable patient.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the convergence between Western medicine's current understanding of atherosclerosis and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
  • To highlight how TCM's focus on prevention and individualized treatment for the vulnerable patient aligns with modern cardiovascular concepts.
  • To propose an integrative East-West approach for enhanced early detection and treatment of vulnerable patients with CHD.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis comparing Western and TCM approaches to atherosclerosis and CHD.
  • Review of current literature on vulnerable plaque, inflammation, and thrombosis in CHD.
  • Examination of TCM principles, including pattern differentiation and multitargeted herbal medicine approaches.

Main Results:

  • Western medicine's focus has shifted to inflammation, vulnerable plaque, and the vulnerable patient, moving away from lumen stenosis.
  • TCM emphasizes prevention and treats the vulnerable patient through pattern-specific, multitargeted herbal medicine strategies.
  • Significant conceptual overlap exists between Western and TCM perspectives on CHD, particularly regarding the vulnerable patient and underlying inflammatory processes.

Conclusions:

  • The convergence of Western and TCM conceptualizations offers a promising avenue for advancing CHD care.
  • An integrative East-West approach, leveraging TCM's holistic and preventative strategies, could lead to more effective early detection and treatment of vulnerable CHD patients.
  • Future research should focus on validating and implementing such integrative strategies to improve patient outcomes in cardiovascular disease.

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