Primary liver cancer refers to a malignant tumor that originates in liver cells or intrahepatic bile duct cells, rather than spreading to the liver from cancer in another organ or tissue; it is therefore called primary liver cancer. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), liver cancer falls within the categories of “积聚” (abdominal masses), “胁痛” (hypochondriac…
Hepatic cirrhosis (HC) is a chronic, progressive, diffuse inflammatory and fibrotic liver disease caused by various factors. Under the repeated or persistent effects of causative factors, liver cells undergo diffuse degeneration, necrosis, and apoptosis. Surviving liver cells regenerate to form regenerative nodules, while diffuse connective tissue proliferation forms fibrous septa. These processes ultimately divide and…
Sick sinus syndrome (SSS), also called sinus node dysfunction, is a syndrome comprising a group of symptoms rather than a single disease. Its clinical manifestations are based on slow sinus arrhythmias (such as sinus bradycardia, sinus arrest, and sinoatrial block), which may cause symptoms such as dizziness and syncope. Various tachyarrhythmias may also occur, including…
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation refers to atrial fibrillation lasting less than 48 hours that may terminate spontaneously. Although an episode may last up to 7 days, 48 hours is a key point with important clinical significance. After 48 hours, spontaneous termination becomes less likely, and anticoagulant therapy should be considered. TCM Pattern Differentiation and Medication Reference…
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), also known as ventricular premature beats, are premature ventricular activations originating from ectopic pacemaker sites below the atrioventricular node. A PVC following every sinus P wave is called bigeminy; a PVC occurring after every two sinus P waves is called trigeminy; two consecutive PVCs are called a couplet; three or more…
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional heart disease. It may result from initial myocardial injury due to various causes (such as myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, inflammation, or excessive hemodynamic load), leading to impaired cardiac contraction and relaxation, reduced ventricular filling and ejection, and cardiac output that is insufficient to…
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is short for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. It is primarily caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, which narrows or blocks the arterial lumen and leads to myocardial ischemia and hypoxia. Depending on the location and extent of coronary artery disease, the degree of vascular obstruction, and the rate at which…
Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by irreversible changes in pancreatic tissue and function caused by various factors. Its pathological features include atrophy and destruction of pancreatic acinar cells and interstitial fibrosis. Clinically, it is mainly characterized by recurrent upper abdominal pain and/or exocrine and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency. It may also involve…
Viral myocarditis is inflammation of the myocardium, characterized primarily by nonspecific focal or diffuse inflammatory lesions and caused by infection with viruses that have an affinity for the myocardium. It is the most common type of infectious myocarditis. Mild cases may involve focal lesions and cause no symptoms; severe cases may lead to arrhythmias, heart…
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common group of rheumatic diseases in childhood. It refers to arthritis affecting one or more joints that begins before the age of 16 and persists for 6 weeks or longer, after other known causes have been excluded. TCM Pattern Differentiation and Medication Reference References
Hyperlipidemia refers to elevated levels of cholesterol and/or triglycerides in the plasma. The broader term also includes various lipid abnormalities involving low- and high-density lipoproteins. There are currently three classification methods. The first is phenotypic classification. In 1970, the World Health Organization classified lipoprotein abnormalities into five types according to the degree of elevation of…
Reactive arthritis is a group of sterile arthritides that occur following infection in specific parts of the body, such as the intestines or genitourinary tract, and are associated with an abnormal immune response. Symptoms do not necessarily occur at the same time as the primary illness, and the joint changes are not caused by direct…
Primary hypertension is a cardiovascular syndrome characterized primarily by elevated systemic arterial blood pressure. Hypertension often coexists with other cardiovascular risk factors, which may affect important organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys and ultimately lead to organ dysfunction. Common symptoms include dizziness, headache, neck stiffness, a heavy-headed or unsteady feeling, palpitations, tinnitus, blurred…
