Asian Journal of Cardiology Research

Efficacy of Ischemia Reversal Program in Stable Ischemic Heart Disease Patients to Improve Quality of Life

Laxminarayan Sarbere *

Department of Preventive Cardiology, LLB, PG Diploma in Law, Health and Medicine, Clinic Head, Tukum, Chandrapur, India.

Sadik Khan

Zonal Medical Head of Pune and Vidarbha Region, Madhavbaug Cardiac Clinic and Hospital, Thane, Maharashtra, India.

Preeti Sarbere

Department of Preventive Cardiology, LLB, PG Diploma in Law, Health and Medicine, Clinic Head, Tukum, Chandrapur, India.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

---

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is one of the predominant risk factors of ischemic heart disease – appropriate control of blood pressure is key to both primary and secondary ischemic heart disease prevention. Despite comprehensive recommendations for management of ischemic heart disease and hypertension, the rising prevalence of ischemic heart disease remains undeterred. The Ischemia Reversal Program (IRP) combines panchakarma with nutrition therapy.

Aim: To assess the impact of IRP on patients diagnosed with ischemic heart disease with hypertension as an underlying comorbidity.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at Madhavbaug Clinic, Chandrapur, Maharashtra from March 2018 to December 2021. Patients aged 40–75 years diagnosed with ischemic heart disease and hypertension who had completed at least 7 sessions of the IRP program over a 90 (±15) day duration were included in this study. Weight, body mass index, abdominal girth, glycated hemoglobin, systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements, and duke’s treadmill score readings on Day 1 and Day 90 were documented and compared. Patient adherence to pharmacotherapy was also studied.

Results: The mean age of the study population was 55.1 ± 7.35 years. Study findings revealed statistically significant improvements in weight, abdominal girth, glycosylated hemoglobin, body mass index, and diastolic blood pressure at the 90-day follow-up. Duke’s treadmill score also showed statistically significant improvement from -1.76 on Day 1 to 6.34 on Day 90.

Conclusion: Study findings reveal noticeable improvement in anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin as well as duke’s treadmill score. Moreover, patient dependence on pharmacotherapy also decreased. These findings are suggestive of IRP as alternative to conventional therapy advised for ischemic heart disease.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Dukes treadmill score, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, ischemia reversal program, Panchakarma

---

---

---

References

Bhattacharjee S, Yaghmaei N, Phuong CTL, Neupane D. Factors influencing the readiness to tackle the burden of ischaemic heart disease in India: A systematic review protocol. BMJ Open. 2021;11(8):e047464.

Gupta R, Xavier D. Hypertension: The most important non communicable disease risk factor in India. Indian Heart J. 2018; 70(4):565-572.

Ke C, Gupta R, Shah BR, Stukel TA, Xavier D, Jha P. Association of hypertension and diabetes with ischemic heart disease and stroke mortality in India: The Million Death Study. Glob Heart. 2021; 16(1):69.

Agbor-Etang BB, Setaro JF. Management of hypertension in patients with ischemic heart disease. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2015; 17(12):119.

Lairikyengbam SK, Davies AG. Interpreting exercise treadmill tests needs scoring system. BMJ. 2002;325(7361):443.

SPRINT Research Group. Final report of a trial of intensive versus standard blood-pressure control. N. Engl. J. Med. 2021; 384:1921–1930.

Elgendy IY, Hill JA, Szady AD, Gong Y, Cooper-DeHoff RM, Pepine CJ. Systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and outcomes in patients with coronary disease and heart failure. ESC Heart Fail. 2019;7(1):123–129.

Stevens SL, Wood S, Koshiaris C, Law K, Glasziou P, Stevens RJ, et al. Blood pressure variability and cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br. Med. J. 2016;354:i4098.

Rastogi S, Chiappelli F. Hemodynamic effects of Sarvanga Swedana (Ayurvedic passive heat therapy): A pilot observational study. Ayu. 2013;34(2):154-159.

Sane R, Gond B, Raje G. Evaluation of the efficacy of Ischemia Reversal Program (IRP) in patients suffering from ischemic heart disease (IHD) with known history of hypertension: A retrospective study. J Ayu Med Sci. 2018;3(2):377-83.

Sane R, Ghadigaonkar P, Kharat A, Yadav KS, Mahajan S, Mandole R. (2018). Efficacy of Ischemia Reversal Program (IRP) in elderly patients of ischemic heart disease with known history of hypertension. Asian Journal of Cardiology Research. 2018;1(1):1-8.

Kong P, Kanasan S, Yazid M, Khamdan H, Ismail O. Duke treadmill score predicts coronary artery disease status among Asian women patients. Int J Cardiol. 2017; 249:S33-4.

Kwok J, Miller T, Hodge D, Gibbons R. Prognostic value of the Duke treadmill score in the elderly. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002;39(9):1475-81.