[Research progress on pathological mechanism of anxiety induced by chronic heart failure and TCM treatment strategies from perspective of heart-Yin deficiency theory].

Researchers have explored how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help people with chronic heart failure who also experience anxiety. This is important because anxiety affects many heart failure patients, making their symptoms worse and reducing their quality of life. The study examined TCM's ancient concept of "heart-Yin deficiency," which describes an imbalance in the body's cooling and calming systems. According to this theory, when heart-Yin is deficient, it creates internal heat that disturbs mental calmness, disrupts blood flow, and allows harmful substances to accumulate—all of which can worsen both heart function and anxiety. The researchers connected these traditional concepts to modern medical understanding, including how heart failure affects stress hormones, increases inflammation, and changes the balance of gut bacteria. For treatment, they focused on TCM approaches that "nourish Yin and calm the spirit," including herbal formulas and acupuncture. These therapies work on multiple levels: improving heart function, reducing inflammation, balancing hormones, and calming anxiety symptoms. This research suggests that acupuncture and herbal medicine may offer benefits beyond standard cardiac care by addressing both the physical heart problem and the emotional distress together. Rather than treating heart and mind separately, TCM views them as interconnected, which may explain why these therapies show promise for patients dealing with both conditions simultaneously. If you're considering acupuncture for heart failure-related anxiety, seek a licensed acupuncturist with experience in cardiovascular conditions and mental health support.

This theoretical review examines TCM treatment strategies for anxiety comorbid with chronic heart failure (CHF) through the lens of heart-Yin deficiency theory. The authors propose a pathogenic model wherein heart-Yin deficiency generates three interconnected mechanisms: uncontrolled deficiency fire disturbing the spirit, blood stasis with collateral damage causing insufficient spirit nourishment, and phlegm-stasis-toxin accumulation impairing heart-spirit connection. These TCM concepts are correlated with modern pathophysiological mechanisms including neuroendocrine dysregulation, inflammatory and oxidative stress, and gut microbiota imbalance. The treatment principle "nourishing Yin and calming the spirit" is systematically analyzed through herbal compound prescriptions and acupuncture-moxibustion protocols. Clinical takeaway: This framework provides TCM practitioners with a theoretical foundation for treating CHF-anxiety comorbidity by simultaneously addressing cardiac function and psychological symptoms through Yin-nourishing, spirit-calming interventions rather than treating each condition separately. No original clinical data, sample sizes, or effect sizes were reported in this theoretical paper.