Understanding Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular disease in the light of Ayurveda

Abstract

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the malady that claims most human lives around the world by literally cutting off their heart's blood supply. Unwholesome diet, sedentary lifestyle and psychological stress are the major risk factors leading to this condition. Even with technological and medical advancements, the burden of this disease has only aggravated further especially with the COVID pandemic also contributing to trigger this condition. There is an urgent need to find better solutions to combat this disease in such circumstances. The Indian traditional healthcare system, Ayurveda has a unique perspective of the heart and heart disease which when understood parallelly along with modern medical knowledge may offer better solutions. The descriptions of Kaphaja Hridroga in Ayurveda can be correlated to ASCVD, and this article is an effort to develop a synergistic understanding of the aetio-pathogenesis of ASCVD in the light of Ayurveda. Ayurveda management principles give more emphasis on prevention and non-pharmacological approaches such as diet and lifestyle modifications along with medical management and these principles of management of Hridroga can be tactfully integrated into conventional therapy for providing a more wholesome care.