Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease
which involves increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries, which can in the
long run cause right sided heart failure and death. Weakness, breathlessness,
and occasional giddiness and falls are vague symptoms; signs and symptoms of
right sided heart failure usually present in advanced cases or in those without
treatment. 2-d echo tests, along with a clinical history, a possible family
history, and other supporting tests can help in a diagnosis.
Congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, left
ventricular failure, connective tissue disease, infections, drug toxicity,
chronic lung disease, high altitude disease, tumors; and disorders related to
metabolic disease, blood clotting diseases, and systemic diseases, are all possible causes for PAH. When no
specific cause can be located for the condition, it is termed as idiopathic
PAH.
Treatment of PAH is with drugs which bring about smooth
muscle relaxation of arteries thereby causing vasodilatation and reduction in
pressure of pulmonary arteries. Calcium channel blockers and derivatives of
prostacycline form the mainstay of this treatment. With the use of these medications,
the overall prognosis of patients with PAH has improved considerably, along
with increased survival rates. Patients who do not tolerate these drugs or do
not respond satisfactorily to these medications can be started on Ayurvedic
treatment.
Ayurvedic herbal medicines reduce inflammation, reduce
blockage, bring about vessel dilatation, and reduce resistance. Herbal
medicines which act on blood, blood vessels, lung tissue, as well as the gastrointestinal
system are used in combinations to bring about maximum benefit to patients. It
is also important to treat the known causes of PAH. Multi pronged herbal
therapy which acts on several tissues has a much better clinical effect and the
patient gets sustained benefit even after cessation of therapy.
Most patients with mild to moderate severity of PAH get
significant relief with about 8-12 months of treatment and maintain themselves
well even without drugs for several years. Adequate life style modifications
are required so that the chances for recurrence are completely avoided or
minimized. Ayurvedic herbal treatment can thus be judiciously utilized in the
comprehensive management of PAH.
The writer, Dr A A Mundewadi, is available as an
Ayurvedic physician at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and www.ayurvedaphysician.com For Ayurvedic herbal treatment of PAH, kindly click here
