Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Pericardial Effusion

Pericardial effusion has a great impact on the patient's health and seriously affects the function of the heart. At this time, timely treatment is necessary. There are many treatment methods. If the condition is serious and urgent, Western medicine is generally used for treatment. If the condition is in a relatively stable period, it can be adjusted and treated through traditional Chinese medicine, which can also achieve good therapeutic effects.

Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang warms the yang and transforms phlegm

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine says: "Yang Qi is like the sky and the sun. If it loses its place, life span will be shortened and not obvious." When the light shines in the sky, the yin will disperse. Clinically, the treatment of phlegm and fluid diseases requires warming the yang and transforming the fluid, strengthening the spleen and promoting diuresis, and clearing away the clouds to see the sun. Zhang Zhongjing left behind a famous prescription for treating edema, which is Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang. The "Golden Chamber" says: "If there is phlegm and fluid in the lower part of the heart, fullness in the chest and flanks, and dizziness, Ling Gui Shu Gan Decoction is the main treatment." "For patients with typhoid fever who, after vomiting or diarrhea, feel fullness in the lower part of the heart, qi rushing up to the chest, dizziness when standing up, deep and tight pulse, menstruation disturbances when sweating, and shaking of the body, Poria, cinnamon twig, Atractylodes macrocephala, and licorice decoction is the main treatment." "Patients suffering from phlegm and fluid should be treated with warm medicine." From the above scriptures, we can see that Zhang Zhongjing made a specific discussion on the causes and treatments of phlegm and fluid diseases. The cause of the disease is damage to yin and yang after sweating, vomiting and diarrhea, spleen and kidney yang deficiency, and insufficient heart yang. The treatment method is to use warm medicine to harmonize it, that is, to warm and nourish the spleen and kidneys, transform qi and promote the circulation of water. The prescription is Ling Gui Zhu Gan Decoction. Poria is sweet and warm, has a sweet and mild taste that can penetrate dampness, strengthen the spleen, promote diuresis and eliminate fluid; cinnamon twig warms the meridians and dispels cold, reduces adverse effects and balances the body; Atractylodes macrocephala is sweet and warm, removes dampness and strengthens the spleen, transforms qi and promotes the flow of water; licorice is sweet and warm, replenishes deficiency, invigorates qi and harmonizes the middle. The author believes that pericardial effusion is not enough to quell the internal turmoil by simply warming the yang, transforming qi and promoting water circulation. It is also necessary to use diuretics to reduce swelling, clear the bowels and reduce turbidity, and promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to eliminate the evil in order to achieve miraculous results.

Jijiaolihuang Pills are good for diuresis and purging turbidity

Article 29 of Zhang Zhongjing’s Synopsis of the Golden Chamber states: “Abdominal distension and dry mouth and tongue indicate water vapor in the intestines, and Jijiaolihuang Pills are the main treatment.” Abdominal distension and water in the intestines are caused by poor bladder gasification, kidney yang deficiency, and inability of qi to transform water. Stagnation of fluid in the chest and flanks, causing chest fullness, dizziness, palpitations and shortness of breath are due to yang deficiency and water overflow, and water vapor overwhelming the heart. The three herbs in Jijiaolihuang Pill, namely Stephania tetrandra, Jiaomu and Tinglizi, are light in quality and float on the surface. They can go up and down, promote diuresis and reduce swelling. The combination of the three herbs can guide water and fluid downward and out through urination. Rhubarb is the general, which can clear the bowels, reduce turbidity, activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and clear phlegm and blood stasis out through the stool. Ling Gui Zhu Gan Decoction combined with Ji Jiao Li Huang Wan can warm the yang and transform qi, promote diuresis and reduce swelling, clear the bowels and reduce turbidity, and activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis in one furnace, so pericardial effusion can be eliminated.

Blood-activating and stasis-removing drugs open up the heart meridian

For pericardial effusion, in addition to warming the yang and transforming fluid, strengthening the spleen and promoting diuresis, it is also necessary to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. Precordial pain, chest tightness and shortness of breath, varicose and purple sublingual veins, dark red tongue with ecchymosis on the edges, or high blood lipids and high blood pressure all fall into the category of blood stasis. Long-term illness affects the collaterals and blood stasis blocks them. Blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing drugs should be added to the above-mentioned treatment prescriptions, such as Guanxin No. 2, red peony root, Chuanxiong, safflower, agarwood, salvia miltiorrhiza, Panax notoginseng, leech, earthworm, and Sanguisorba officinalis. These can significantly improve coronary blood supply, improve microcirculation, alleviate symptoms, and achieve twice the result with half the effort.