Differentiation and Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure Based on Theory of "Harmony When Conforming to Qi and Illness When Going Against Qi"
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20251895
- VernacularTitle:基于“从其气则和、违其气则病”理论辨治慢性心力衰竭
- Author:
Zongyi LIU
1
;
Yan ZHANG
2
;
Hongyu CUI
1
Author Information
1. Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine（TCM），Shenyang 110847，China
2. The Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of TCM，Shenyang 110000，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
chronic heart failure;
heart Qi;
harmony when conforming to Qi;
illness when going against Qi;
traditional Chinese medicine
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2026;32(3):239-250
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Chronic heart failure （CHF） represents the terminal stage of numerous cardiovascular diseases. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory， the pathogenesis of CHF is characterized by deficiency of the root and excess of the branch. The deficiency of the root mainly stems from insufficiency of heart Qi， while the excess of the branch arises from pathological accumulation of phlegm， blood stasis， and fluid retention. During the occurrence and development of CHF， the disobedience of heart Qi consistently serves as the key to the onset of the disease. As elucidated in Da Lun Chapter of WU Yun Xing in The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic： Plain Questions， "harmony when conforming to qi and illness when going against Qi". This principle describes the relationship between human physiology and nature Qi dynamics. Harmony leads to health， while disobedience leads to illness. The same principle can be applied within the human body， that is， harmony between the zang-fu organs and their Qi leads to health， while disobedience leads to illness. The occurrence of CHF and the relationship between the heart and heart Qi also follow this principle. This study started from this theory， analyzed the relationship between "following or going against Qi" and the occurrence of diseases in the human body， further analyzing the "following" and "going against" between the heart and heart Qi， the pathogenesis of CHF， the corresponding relationship between the heart Qi and modern physiology in the state of "following Qi"， the corresponding situation between the heart Qi and modern pathology in the state of "going against Qi"， and the relationship between "going against Qi" and different stages of CHF. Moreover， it proposed to treat CHF from the perspective of "illness when going against Qi". One is to replenish the insufficiency of heart Qi （tonifying heart Qi and also invigorating the spleen）， and the other is to unblock the channels of heart Qi （resolving phlegm and removing turbidity to unblock the channels， removing blood stasis and dredging collaterals to promote blood circulation， and transforming fluid retention and expelling water to facilitate blood flow）. Meanwhile， the effects of single-herb Chinese medicines and Chinese-medicine compound prescriptions on the myocardium and micro-indexes of the human body under the "tonifying" and "unblocking" methods were analyzed. Through the above-mentioned treatment methods， the nature of heart Qi can finally be restored to "abundant" and "unobstructed"， so that the heart Qi can be harmonized and CHF can be improved. These findings may provide a new way of thinking for the future treatment of CHF.
