Arteriosclerosis - Homoeopathic & miasmatic view

1. Dr. Manshi Mankiwala
M.Sc. Public Health, M.D. Homeopath

2.  Atherosclerosis is a specific type of
arteriosclerosis, but the terms are often used
interchangeably.
 Atherosclerosis refers to the build up of fats in and
on your artery walls (plaques), which can restrict
blood flow.
 These plaques can also burst, causing a blood
clot. Although atherosclerosis is often considered
a heart problem, it can affect arteries anywhere in
your body. Atherosclerosis is a preventable and
treatable condition.

3.  Arteriosclerosis obliterans is typically seen in medium and
large arteries of the lower extremity. Characterized by
fibrosis of the intima and calcification of the media. The
lumen of the vessel may be obliterated or markedly
narrowed.
 Medial calcific sclerosis (Monckeberg’s calcific sclerosis)
is seen mostly in the elderly, commonly in arteries of the
extremities. Characterized by calcification of the Tunica
media but without thickening of the intima or narrowing of
the vessel lumen.
 A similar form of an intramural calcification, presenting the
picture of an early phase of arteriosclerosis, appears to be
induced by a number of drugs that have an antiproliferative
mechanism of action

8. Major Components of Plaque
 Cells (Macrophages & other WBCs)
 Collagen, elastin
 Lipid ( Intra / extra cellular Cholesterol)
 Often Calcification
Major Processes in Plaque
 Intimal Thickening (proliferation of smooth
muscles and elastin & collagen formation)
 Lipid accumulation

9.  Injury to the endothelium ( dysfunctional endothelium)
 Chronic inflammatory changes
 Migration of smooth muscle cells from media & intima
 Proliferation of smooth muscle cell in intima
 Increased production of elastin, collagen
 Enhanced lipid accumulation

15. Consequences

19. Carotid & Cerebral Circulation
 Brain infarction
 TIA if arterial narrowing is aggravated by mural
vasospasm
Celiary & Mesentric Arterial circulation
 Ischemic entricolitis
 Nephrosclerosis leads to gradual renal failure
 Renal hypertension
 Iliac or femoral artery aneurysms
 Vessel occlusion by plaque / thrombus, which can lead
to ulceration / gangrene of the part

20. Coronary Artery Disease
 Symptoms of coronary artery disease (where the heart
arteries are narrowed) are usually brought on by
physical exercise, exposure to cold weather, anger, or
stress. The most common symptoms include:
 Chest pain (generally a heavy, squeezing, or crushing
sensation with possible burning or stabbing pains)
 Abdominal, neck, back, jaw, or shoulder/arm pain
 Weakness
 Perspiration
 Shortness of breath


21. Cerebrovascular Disease
 Cerebrovascular disease (where the arteries that supply
the brain with blood) are narrowed can cause transient
ischemic attack (a sudden loss of brain function with
complete recovery within 24 hours) and stroke.
 Symptoms may include:
 Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
 Trouble speaking or understanding speech
 Loss of vision in one eye
 Muscle weakness
 Difficultty in walking
 Dizziness
 Loss of balance or coordination
 Sudden severe headache

22. Peripheral Artery Disease
 Peripheral artery disease affects the arteries that
supply the arms and legs with oxygen rich blood.
Symptoms may include:
 Pain, aching, cramps, numbness or sense of fatigue in
the leg muscles (intermittent claudication)
 "Bruits" (blowing sounds can hear with a stethoscope
that indicate turbulence in blood flow)
 Thickened nails
 Smooth, shiny skin surface
 Skin that is cold to the touch
 Gangrene

23.  Menstrual irregularity with premenstrual water retention and
swelling of breasts.
 High uric acid, high cholesterol, alterration of lipid metabolism
leading to deposits of cholesterol and lipoproteins on blood
vessel walls.
 Hypertension that results from damage to the vascular bed of the
kidneys and salt and water retention.
 Rheumatoid arthritis with abnormal globulin processes also fall
into this category.
 Abnormal growth of hair, generalized as well as local.
 Stone formation and deposition of calcium in normal tissues.
 all expressions of Gouty-Rheumatic Constitutions.
 All these tend to be worse in cold damp weather and by rest.
 Gouty conditions, worse with over-indulgence in food and wine.
 Pain in the insertions of long tendons, muscular aches and pains,
recurrent fibrositis in large muscles

24.  The physical responses in sycosis are erratic, wandering, Metastatic
of inflammatory processes.
 Hardening of elastic lamina and intimal proliferation.
 Atheroma developed in large arteries results in narrowing of lumen
and stenosis
 Increased peripheral resistance resulting from thickness of walls of
the arteries
 The sycotic patients are fleshy and puffy, their obesity contributing to
complaint of dyspnoea.
 Pains in electric shocks, radiates from precordium to the shoulder
scapula. soreness or tenderness over precordial region.
 Heat and change of waether<;
 > from gentle exercise, exept of rheumatic origin.
 Pulse is slow, feeble and soft.
 Cardiac dropsy, tachycardia, thrombosis, embolism, MI

25.  aberrant, allergic, hypertrophic, spasmodic
responses.
 tuberculosis exists in the family history or in the
patient’s own history.
 Profuse perspiration with musty odour
 Emaciation with ravenous appetite
 Diabetic syndrome
 Cracks and fissures of the skin
 Premature greying of hair
 chronic inflammation of the skin, mucous
membranes, serous membranes, subcutaneous
tissues, lungs etc.
 protracted recovery
 Easy suppuration and delayed healing

26.  Joint get easily sprained.
 Cramps in lower extremities.
 Aggravation: Night, from thunderstorm, closed
room, morning
 Amelioration: quiet , rest, warmth, dry weather,
open air
 Stress or suppression of emotions

27.  History or evidence of clinical syphilis
 Repeated abortions or miscarriages, still
births, neonatal deaths, foetal
malformations, placenta praevia, vesicular
mole, toxaemia of pregnancy
 Cancer
 Ectopic tissues (ectopic
gestation, mammae, thyroid, uterine endometrium)
 Maniac psychosis, psychopathic
personalities, criminal propensities, moral
depravity, etc.
 <night
Cracks, fissures, ulcerations with indurations
Alopecia
 Dental caries before teeth erupt;
 bone and peri-osteal pain at night, relieved by cold
applications and movement
 Osteoporosis leading to fractures and deformities
 Ulcerations healing to fibrosis, scarring, and

28.  Paralysis, occurring as a result of
ischaemia, metabolic degenerative states.
 Loss of intellectual function, loss of
memory, inability to think, comprehend, or learn
(Alzheimer’s disease); cerebrovascular accidents
where there is degeneration of brain tissue.
 Sensation of heaviness in precordium. Symptoms
are < at night, perspiration, warmth of bed. >
during day, change of possition and cold.
 Pulse irregular in rate or rythem.

29. CRATAEGUS
 . Acts on muscle of heart, and IS A HEART TONIC.
 No influence on the endocardium. Myocarditis.
 Failing compensation. .Insomnia of aortic sufferers,
 anaemia; oedema, cutaneous chilliness. High blood pressure.
 Is a sedative in cross, irritable patients
 with cardiac symptoms. Chronic heart disease,
 with extreme weakness. Very feeble and irregular heart action.
 Dyspepsia and nervous prostration, with heart failure.
 In the beginning of heart disease after rheumatism.
 ARTERIOSCLEROSIS. CARDIAC DROPSY. Aortic disease.
 Extreme dyspnoea on least exertion without much increase of pulse.
 Pain in region of heart and under left clavicle. Dilated heart. .
 Pulse accelerated,. Valvular murmurs, angina pectoris.
 Cutaneous chilliness, blueness of fingers and toes; all aggravated
 by exertion or excitement. Sustains heart in infectious diseases.

30. AURUM MET
 Sensation as if HEART STOPPED BEATING for
two or three seconds, immediately followed by
a tumultuous rebound, with sinking at the
epigastrium.,
 Pulse
RAPID,FEEBLE,IRREGULAR, Palpitation.
 Hypertrophy.
 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,_Valvular lesions of
arteriosclerotic nature.

31. CACTUS
 ENDOCARDITIS WITH MITRAL REGURGITATION
together with violent action
 Acts best in the incipiency of cardiac incompetence.
 Heart weakness of arteriosclerosis.
 Violent palpitation; WORSE LYING ON LEFT SIDE, AT
APPROACH OF MENSES.
 ANGINA PECTORIS, with suffocation, cold sweat, and
constriction as if heart were squeezed by an iron hand.
 Pain in apex, shooting down left arm. Palpitation, with
vertigo, dyspnoea, flatulence.
 CONSTRICTION; very acute pains and stitches in
heart; pulse feeble, irregular, quick, without strength.
 Endocardial murmurs, excessive impulse, increased
praecordial dullness, enlarged ventricle. Low blood
pressure.

32. STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS
 Common name – Kombe seed
 Part used – Seed
 Acts on the Heart increasing the systole and
diminishing the rapidity.
 A muscle poison , Increases the contractile power of
striped muscles.
 Heart’s action weak, irregular due to muscular
debility and insufficiency. Irritable heart of tobacco
smokers.
 In mitral regurgitation where oedema and dropsy
have supervened.
 Arteriosclerosis of the aged.
 Nausea without actual vomiting, great loathing of
food. Anaemia.
 Nausea with disgust for alcohol, aids in treatment of
dipsomania.

33. Baryta muriatica
 This drug produces lesions of arteriosclerosis of the
large blood vessels and aorta, similar to senile
atheroma.
 It has the headache with heaviness, worse at night
when lying down.
 Dizziness of old people. Apoplexy or threatened
apoplexy, with buzzing in the ears.
 It can be given for a long pulmonary arterio-
sclerosis.
 hypertension and vascular degeneration;
arteriosclerosis where high systolic pressure with a
comparatively low diastolic tension is attended by
cerebral and cardiac symptoms; large blood vessel
and aorta is involved; in duration and narrowing of
cardiac orifice with pain immediately after eating

34. Arnica [Arn]
 This is a remedy of value in cerebral
arteriosclerosis,vertigo of the aged, heaviness
and cerebral affections, plethoric people who
have a tendency to haemorrhages.
 cerebral arteriosclerosis; great tendency for
hemorrhage; acts well in plethoric, feebly in
debilitated people, relaxed bold vessel with
black and blue spots; sore, lame and bruised
feeling; thrombosis; limbs and body aches as
if beaten

35. Plumbum [Plumb]
 Hypertension and arterio-sclerosis.
 It seems to suit rather the pre- sclerotic states
than those of actual sclerosis.
 It has a cramp like constriction of the peripheral
arteries, a wiry pulse, and especially if the
symptoms be associated with a chronic nephritis
it is all the more indicated.
 Patient feels the pulse in the fingers. Slight
motion causes fainting.
 It suits the anaemic, pale, emaciated patients
with extreme weakness which is the plumbum
constitution.

36. Ergotin –
 acts well in the beginning of arteriosclerosis when
only the cardiac irritation and the hard heart sound
are present.
 Stiffening and degeneration of arterial walls,
spasmodic contraction of the vessels with hardening
Spigelia
 remarkable remedy for the inflammation of the heart
affecting both inner and outer lining of the heart,
deficiency of the mitral valve in people who are
alcoholic, pain in the heart, dizziness, noises in head,
excessive nervousness, chocking sensation in throat;
patient is unable to sleep properly; sparks before the
eyes is a guiding symptom of this remedy.

37. Arsenic iod –
 remedy for arteriosclerosis; myocardial
degeneration and senile heart; cardiac weakness;
emaciation and general debility; best suited to
anemic people; rapid, irritable pulse; chronic
aortitis.
Adrenaline –
 high arterial blood pressure; roaring in the ear
due to hypertension; its chief therapeutic use
depends o its vaso constriction action.
Aurum mur –
 arterio-sclerosis; high blood pressure due to
disturbed function of nervous mechanism;
hypertrophy of the heart; congestion in the chest
and head; strong palpitation.

38. Preventive Care:
 Stop smoking.
 Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 6 days a
week.
 Eat healthy foods, such as
fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that are
low in saturated fat and high in fiber.
 Maintain a normal weight (or lose weight if
you need to).
 Reduce stress.