Exploring the Comorbidity Mechanisms of Coronary Heart Disease and Depression Based on "Constraint Causing Disease" and "Disease Causing Constraint" Theories / 中医杂志

ABSTRACT

This study explored the comorbidity mechanisms of coronary heart disease and depression from the perspectives of "constraint causing disease" and "disease causing constraint"， for which "constraint" is the link， and the key lies in the stagnation of qi. The heart storing manifestations in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） encompasses most physiological processes of the circulatory system， the mental nervous system， and some functions of the endocrine system， and cardiovascular diseases and psychological disorders are closely related to it. In TCM， it is proposed that the stagnation of heart yang leading to "yang deficiency" is the pathogenesis of chest tightness， and emotional disturbance leading to the stagnation of yang qi aggravates the chest tightness， reflecting the process of "disease causing constraint". As the disease progresses， the appearance of phlegm and stasis further worsens the condition， reflecting the process of "constraint causing disease". Based on modern medical understanding， the abnormal accumulation of lipids， platelets， oxidative products， cytokines， and other substances constitute a form of "constraint"， which is also the material basis for the comorbidity of coronary heart disease and depression. These substances promote neuronal damage or apoptosis in the emotional and cognitive regions， inducing the onset of depression， reflecting the process of "disease causing constraint". Meanwhile， adverse emotions lead to sympathetic nerve excitement， resulting in the production of catecholamines， promoting platelet aggregation， elevating levels of inflammatory markers， and increasing the risk of coronary heart disease， reflecting the process of "disease causing constraint".