Pathologies Of Heart Syndromes Flashcards
Heart qi deficiency pathology
Palpitations/ awareness of heartbeat occurs when heart qi is not strong enough to adequately pump blood.
Other symptoms due to general qi deficiency
Spontaneous sweating is due to wei qi not holding in fluids
Shortness of breath is due to gathering qi (zong) impairing respiration
Lassitude is due to deficient qi failing to transform and transport properly thereby not sufficiently nourishing all the other organs of the body
Heart yang deficiency pathology
Heart Qi deficiency symptoms (as Qi is part of Yang)
Feeling of cold and cold hands are due to heart Yang not transporting blood to extremities to warm them.
Mild stuffy feeling in chest is due to heart Yang failing to move qi leading to qi stagnation in chest
Lips may be slightly dark because deficient yang fails to move qi and blood which leads to slight blood stasis
Heart blood deficiency pathology
Insomnia, anxiety, easily startled and poor memory due to shen being deprived of its residence.
In cases of heart blood deficiency the heart Qi is not rooted causing palpitations/ awareness of the heartbeat. Dizziness is caused by the blood not nourishing the brain
Heart Yin deficiency pathology
Heart Yin deficiency includes heart blood deficiency (blood is part of yin) leading to symptoms of Shen disturbance such as insomnia, dream- disturbance sleep. Easily startled, poor memory, anxiety.
Malar flush, five- palm heat and feeling of heat are due to empty heat which arises from long standing yin deficiency
(Full) Heart fire blazing Pathology
Symptoms of heat are thirst, red face and feeling hot.
Mental restlessness and dream disturbed sleep are due to Heat in the heart disturbing the Shen.
Ulcers due to heat rising up to the tongue from the heart. Heart opens to the tongue and controls taste therefore heat may lead to a bitter taste.
Heart fire transfers to small intestine and then bladder causing urinary symptoms
Phlegm- Fire harassing the heart pathology
All symptoms due to Fire and/ or Phlegm. Mental symptoms due to the heart orifices being obstructed by phlegm, resulting in no resting place for the Shen.
Phlegm derives from deficiency Spleen Qi being unable to transform and transport fluids, which accumulate into phlegm. Interior heat facilitates this process by condensing fluids.
Other symptoms due to Fire in the heart.
Phlegm leads to lack of clarity
Heat to manic behaviour
Phlegm misting Heart pathology
All symptoms due to Phlegm (no fire symptoms)
Heart opens to tongue and phlegm prevents the tongue from moving casing aphasia.
Phlegm obstructs the heart orifices causing mental symptoms.
Vomiting and rattling sound in the throat caused by phlegm obstructing the chest.
Normally a background of spleen Qi deficiency which contributes to the formation of phlegm
Heart blood stagnation pathology
Arises from other heart patterns, usually heart Yang deficiency or hear blood deficiency.
Symptoms will vary according to underlying pattern. If heart yang is deficient, it fails to move blood which stagnates and causes pain and constriction.
Cyanosis of lips and nails and coke hands are due to stagnant heart blood not reaching the face and hands
