ZenToks Publication

Chapter 18

Critical Study of Valvular Heart Diseases (VHD) W.S.R. To Ayurvedic Six Stages of Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Intervention (Shat Kriya Kala)

Abstract/Preface

Valvular heart diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality across the globe with over 54 million cases of rheumatic heart disease and millions of degenerative cases. Valvular heart diseases lead to definite death by various complications if not treated early. Although it may start as the simple throat infection but eventually it may affect the heart valves if not treated early. Shat kriya Kala is a unique pathological concept in Ayurveda developed with aim of treating the diseases at various stages of pathogenesis. Ancient Ayurvedic scholars had stated 6 such stages of therapeutic intervention with reference to six stages of pathogenesis namely sanchaya (stage of accumulation of morbid humors), prakopa (stage of aggravation of morbid humors), prasara (stage of spread of morbid humors), sthansanshraya (stage of localization of morbid humors), vyakti (stage of manifestation of morbid humors) and bheda (stage of appearance of complication and differentiating features). If disease is treated in early stages, it does not lead to complications. There are vishahra and aamhara drugs (toxin alleviating drugs) in Ayurveda which could be potentially used to treat valvular affections. Hence, it is essential to apply the Ayurvedic concept of pathogenesis like ‘Shat Kriya kala’ to valvular heart disease so as to study it from Ayurvedic pathological point of view and to evolve a strategy to deal with it based on the Ayurvedic principles of treatment particularly in terms of shat kriya kalas. The study of valvular heart disease with reference to Shat Kriya kala, showed that the pathogenesis of valvular heart disease can very well be arranged in Ayurvedic six stages of Shat Kriya kala and treatment could be framed as per different stages. With the help of modern investigations, these six stages could be diagnostically confirmed.