Congestive cardiac failure (CCF) is a medical condition in
which the heart is unable to pump oxygenated blood to the body with its normal
efficiency. CCF, if left untreated, becomes gradually progressive over time and
leads to symptoms like chest pain or discomfort, breathlessness, fatigue, pain
in abdomen, swelling in feet and abdomen, increased nocturnal urination, and
decreased appetite.
Early diagnosis and management of this medical condition is
important in order to prevent permanent and irreversible damage to the heart
and increased mortality. In addition to modern conservative care, institution
of aggressive Ayurvedic treatment to treat both the cause and effects of CCF
can result in highly gratifying results. Ayurvedic medicines are very effective
in quickly controlling high blood pressure; this reduces the work load on the
heart thereby reducing heart muscle fatigue and compromised pumping action.
Herbal medicines work very well to reduce atherosclerosis and obstruction in
narrowed coronary vessels so as to improve the blood flow to the heart muscles.
Damage to heart muscles due to valvular insufficiency, heart muscle disease, or
alcohol and drug abuse can be corrected using specific herbal therapy for the
same. Work efficiency of the heart can be improved using appropriate herbo-mineral
therapy.
With regular treatment, affected individuals notice a
definite improvement in symptoms like swelling, breathlessness, fatigue and
reduced appetite. Objective tests like a chest x-ray and 2-d echo test reveal
improvement in such parameters as reduction in the size of enlarged heart
chambers, improved valvular efficiency, improved heart ejection fraction,
reduced load on the lungs, and resolution of swelling in and around the pericardium.
Ayurvedic herbal treatment can thus be judiciously used to
treat refractory patients having CCF. Concurrent Ayurvedic treatment can
dramatically improve the overall outlook of long term treatment of CCF and
significantly bring down mortality resulting from this condition.
