modern physiology

modern physiology has tended to see hearts importance mainly in term of its action as a circulatory pump .however ,contemporary research shows that the heart is also an endocrine gland, producing neurotransmitters in response to emotional stimuli. The heart produces adrenaline and dopamine as well as oxytocin the “love hormone”

the Ayurveda classics describes the heart as the seat of par-ojas, vyan vayu, sadhak pitta,avalambhak kapha and mana. Hence their normal function maintains the normal health of the heart and their vitiation leads to various hridrogas.”

heart functions, according to Ayurveda: heart is key organ of rasa- vaha srotas (rasa circulatory system) means rasa and heart is the base of this system. Sushruta postulates that this rasa vaha srotas also has concern with prana –vaha srotas (respiratory system) .the heart creates equilibrium between both systems for normal life. If we put side by side this theory with the science ,we found that rasa-dhatu is salubrious and oxygenated blood

Anatomy

VITIATION OF PRINCIPLESOF DIET AND OTHER NIDANA

MANDAGNI

AMOTPATTI

SAAMA RASA

VITIATED RASA+VAYUVITIATED RASA+ KAPHA +

PITTA

RUJA IN HEART STROTORODHA

OBSTUCTION OF PRANA VAYU

HRIDA BADHA

BREAKING NEWS

• INDIA WOULD BECOME NO. 1 KILLER OF HEART DISEASES BY 2015.

• 1 IN EVERY 4 INDIANS WILL DIE OF HEART ATTACK.• PRESENTLY, 60 MILLION PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED

BY HEART DISEASES.• 20 MILLION PEOPLE ARE OF RISK IN NEXT

DECADE.• RISK FOR WOMEN IS UP BY 200%.• 10% OF THE PATIENTS OF HEART ARE UNDER 30

YEARS.• THERE HAVEN’T BEEN ANY PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS

IN 50% OF DEATHS.

RISK FACTORS

A] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT REDUCES C.V.D. RISK.

B] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT IS LIKELY TO REDUCE RISK OF C.V.D.

C] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT MAY REDUCE C.V.D. RISK.

D] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT IS UNLIKELY TO REDUCE RISK OF C.V.D.

A] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT REDUCES C.V.D. RISK.

SMOKING-• Research has shown that smoking increases heart rate

and can create irregularities in the timing of heartbeats, all of which make your heart work harder.

• Smoking also raises blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke in people.

• Carbon monoxide is the active agents in cigarette smoke, which lead to build up of fatty plaque in the arteries, possibly by injuring the vessel walls.

• They also affect the levels of fibrinogen, which is a blood clotting material. This increases the risk of a blood clot that can lead to heart attack.

CHOLESTEROL

• Cholesterol, a fat like substance carried in the blood is found in all of your body cells.

• Our liver produces all of the cholesterol our body needs to form cell membranes and to make certain hormones.

• Extra cholesterol enters your body through animal foodstuffs. The main culprit for risking heart disorders is the saturated fat in food.

• Foods containing saturated fat include butter, fat in milk products, fat from red meat, coconut oil etc.

• Too much of Low-Density-Lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) in the blood causes plaque to from on artery walls, which starts a disease process called Atherosclerosis.

• When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, you are at a greater of having Heart Attack.

HYPERTENSION

• Elevation of Blood pressure is clinically referred to as Hypertension.

• With the continual pressure in the arterial system, the heart must work harder to over come this pressure, each time it beats.

• With the continual resistance, to each beat, heart gradually suffers.

• The left ventricle, which pumps blood out into the aorta, wearies of this continual strain.

• It tends to enlarge and as this occurs, it gradually weakens and becomes less effective.

• As this continues, a situation develops in which the Heart is unable to process the volume of blood being delivered to it by the system. Gradually, it results into Heart Failure.

THROMBOGENIC FACTORS

• Fibrinogen increases risk for CVD i.e. Cardiovascular Disorders by promoting hemostasis and complex atherosclerotic plaque formation.

• Because of their role in atherogenesis and acute arterial thrombosis, thrombogenic factors have emerged as important risk factors for Heart Diseases.

B] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT IS LIKELY TO REDUCE RISK OF C.V.D.

DIABETES MELLITUS.• The risk factor associated with Diabetes

Mellitus type II are particular strong because a number of other risk factors for CVD (hyperlipidemia, obesity) tend to cluster among such persons.

• Hyperglycemia at the time of CVD event may portend a worse prognosis, perhaps because on adverse anaerobic metabolism may help extend an area of ischemia.

PHYSICAL INACTIVITY

• People who are not active have a greater risk of heart attack than do people who exercise regularly.

• Exercise burns calories to control cholesterol levels and diabetes and may lower blood pressure.

• Exercise also strengthens the heart muscles and makes arteries more flexible.

OBESITY

• Extra weight is thought to lead to increase in cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and an increased risk of plaque formation and thus coronary disease.

• Obesity increases your chances of developing other factors for heart disease, especially high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes.

C] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT MAY REDUCE C.V.D. RISK.

ESTROGEN DEFICIENCY.• The Sex hormone, Estrogen appears to play a role in

heart diseases. • In women younger than 40, heart disease is rare. • But between the ages 40 to 65, around the time when

most women go through menopause, those women will have heart attack risk greatly increased.

• From 65 onwards, women make up about half of all heart attack victims.

• So, women are no longer stranger to heart attacks.

STRESS

• Researchers have identified several reasons why stress may affect the functioning of Heart.

• Stressful situations raise your heart rate and Blood pressure, increases your heart’s need for oxygen. The difference between demand and supply to heart muscles can lead to ISCHEMIA and ANGINA PECTORIS (i.e. Severe chest pain),

• During times of stress, the nervous system releases extra hormones, often adrenalin. These hormones raise blood pressure, which can damage, the linings of the arteries leading to plaque formation.

• Stress also increases the amount of blood clotting factors that circulate in the blood and the increasing the chances of clot formation in the arteries, thus blocking a coronary artery narrowed by plaque and causing a Heart attack.

BIRTH CONTROL PILLS

• Early types of birth control pills contained high levels of estrogen and progestin, and taking these pills increased the chances of Heart disease and stroke, especially in women older than 35 who smoked.

• Birth control pills today contain much lower doses of Hormones.

• But they will increase the risk of Heart diseases & blood clots, especially, if the women is old and if she smokes and has other risk factors.

ALCOHOL INTAKE.

• Light – moderate alcohol consumption of up to 21 units/week for men and up to 14 unit/week for women of alcohol is not a problem and may provide some protection against CVD by reducing stress but heavy drinking raises blood pressure and triglycerides, adds to obesity, stroke, irregular heart beats and Cardiomyopathy i.e. Degeneration of heart muscle.

• Calories from alcohol often add to the body fat, which increases risk of heart disease.

D] RISK FACTORS FOR WHICH TREATMENT IS UNLIKELY TO REDUCE RISK OF C.V.D.

AGE-• As we age, our heart tends to not work as well. The

heart’s walls and coronary muscles and coronary arteries may stiffen and harden and heart is less able to pump blood to the muscles of the body.

• Because of these changes, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases with age.

• Because of their sex hormones, women are usually protected form heart diseases until menopause.

• After that their risk increases.

GENDER

• Over all, men have a higher risk of heart attack than women, due to their peculiar lifestyle and hormonal pattern, however the difference narrows after women reach menopause.

• After the age of 65, the risk of heart disease is about the same between the sexes when other factors are similar.

HEREDITY.

Heart disease tends to run in families due to the genetic factor attached to it.

Risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes etc. may also be passed from one generation to another.

Also researchers have found that some forms of cardiovascular diseases are more common among certain ethnic group due to mutated, gene inheritance.

CAUSES ACCORDING TO AYURVED AAHAR - DIETARY CAUSES. Ait ]pvaasa - Excessive fasting. Ait $xa Anna saovana - Consuming excessively

dry food . Ait ]YNa Anna saovana - Consuming excessively

hot food. Ait gau$ - Excessive heavy food. Ait isnagQa - Excessive slimy or fatty

diet. Ait Baaojana - Consuming food hard to

digest. Ait Amla rsa - Excessive sour food. Ait lavaNa rsa - Excessive salty food. Ait kTu rsa - Excessive spicy food. maV Aitsaovana - Excessive alcohol

consumption. Ait Alp Baaojana - Consuming very less

quantity of food.

VIHAR - LIFE STYLE CAUSES.

• Aitvyaayaama - Excess of exercising

and straining body.• AcaoYTnama\ - Sedentary

life • Aatpsaovana - Exposure

to heat.• inad`aiQa@ya - Excessive

sleeping. MANAS

PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES.

• Saaok - Grief.• icaMta - Worry.• k`aoQa - Anger.• Baya - Fear.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

ACC. TO AYURVED-• BRAHME MUHURATE UTISHTHETA. • DANTMANJAN.• ABHYANGA.• VYAYAM• UDAVARTAN.• SNAN.• BHOJAN.

ACC. TO MODERN-

EAT RIGHT-• Eat in moderation and a variety of food.• It is advised that one should have food of all

seven colours and six tastes.• Keep a check on salt intake.• Avoid eating foods, which are high in LDL

such as animal meats, egg yolk, prawns, crabs etc.

• Avoid canned vegetables and canned fruit syrups.

NO SMOKING , LESS ALCOHOL-

• Just three cigarettes a day increases your chances of a heart attack by 5 times, this is what the latest research says.

• It is for a fact that nicotine in cigarettes increases the rate at which plaque forms on your arteries

• Nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by constricting blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure.

WATCH YOUR WAISTILINE !

• A large waist increases your risk of Heart disease threefold. While the fat around your hips and thighs is inert, abdominal fat spews out inflammatory and clotting chemicals that increase the risk of heart problems.

• It has been studied that loosing just 2 cm around your waist cuts your risk of heart disease by 60%.

• A healthy diet is particularly effective for fighting belly fat and so is walking.

CONTROL BLOOD SUGAR.

• Keep a check on your blood sugar levels over the last three months more so if you have a family history of diabetes.

• A Diabetic should follow strict diet control and go in for regular check ups because some patients can develop hidden heart disease.

SEE YOUR DOCTOR

• Also those over 20 who have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, and blood pressure.

• One should go for regulars screening of blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Ideally a healthy B.P. is 140/80 and for diabetes it is 130/80.

HAVE FUN!

• According to scientists many a laugh keeps heart disease away. Hence one should join laughing clubs.

• Laughing may reduce B.P. if practiced often enough; by helping you get rid of all that anger and frustration that make you stressed.

STRESSED? TIME FOR TIME OUT !• Relaxation methods like Yoga, Meditation, ‘PRANAYAM’

decreases electrical changes associated with poor circulation to the heart and has also shown to lower cholesterol.

• Meditation caused a fall in oxygen consumption, plasma lactate concentration and a decrease in cardiac out put and blood pressure.

• Yogic postures or Asanas like Sirsana, Sarwangasan, Paschimottanasan, Dhaanurasan etc. recondition the hypothalamus- pituitary – adrenal axis with control of Insulin secretion and its metabolism. Thus helping diabetic patients.

GET MORE SLEEP

Too little sleep may increase your risk of developing high B.P.

Sleep allows heart to slow down and B.P. to drop for a significant part of the day.

Try to get 6-8 hours of undisturbed sleep

TREATMENT Use of snehan in heart diseases By, massaging with oils

the vitiated vata gets pacified , it helps in microcirculation ,reduces peripheral resistance & increases muscular tone of heart .In abhyantara sneha, administration of ghrita , brings the lipid soluble toxins into the koshtha in much more acceptable form .

Use of swedan in heart diseases

As Hruddaya is Aswedya organ, if necessary Sweden is given by Hands/pearls / Lotus leaves .

Sarvanga swedan is indicated.

Dietary changes- Indian traditional diet pattern causes low risk factors. Rational practice of Aaharvidhiviseshayatana

Aaharvidhividhan and AaharPariNaamakarBaava helps in reducing Aama Swasthahitakar drayvas- e.g.ractashali,mudga etc. Milk - Godugdha is Jeevaniya, low in fats.Goat milk is best for prevention of hrudroga Ghrut – Home made Goghrut provides unction to srotasas and

especially Hrudya. (i.e.Essential LDL). It acts as antioxidant for vital tissues Oil – Til oil is supposed to be the best for heart. Shak varga – Jeevanti , Kantoli, Bharngi, Patol, Kohala, Vidarikand, are cardio protactor.Kanda – Shrungataka, Kasheruk , Kachara.Takra , shuddha Lashuna , Haridra and Garlic are proven drugs to reduce atherosclerosis.

Saidhav –Is Hruddya , can be used in hypertension & Heart Disease

. Following Rules of Dinacharya: Vyayam - Surya Namaskar , daily 40 min. walk, jogging, aerobics,

power Yoga. Abhyanga and Swedan – Oil massage followed by steaming

reduces peripheral resistance

Udwartan - Increases microcirculation Yoga can increase microcirulation and ejection factor of heart. Vedic Mantras shows positive effect on autonomic

cardiovascular rhythm Omkar chanting shows reduction in heart and breathing rate.

c. Following Rules Of Rutucharya:‘Rutukalin Saushodhana` advocated in Bruhattrayi should be followed to remove Sanchit Doshas.e.g. Basti in Varsha Rutu, Virechana – Raktamokshana in Sharad Rutu, Vamana in Vasanta Rutu.