TCM diagnosis Based on Syndrome Differentiation:
1. Heart Qi and Blood Deficiency
General overwork and excessive worry or mental activity, irregular dietary habits, excessive consumption of cold, raw foods or prolonged illness can weaken the spleen Qi and there fore it’s blood production giving rise to Qi and blood deficiency and heart disease. When Qi is weakened it is unable to circulate properly in the body giving rise to stagnation of either Qi or blood or both and phlegm accumulation due to the weakened spleen function.

Clinical symptoms of Qi and blood deficiency are mild pain in chest, stuffiness in chest, shortness of breath, all symptoms aggravated by physical activity, palpitations and flutters (same as heart Qi deficiency) with paleness of face, tongue and eye lids as well as difficulty falling asleep.

2. Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency
Kidney yin will become damaged through overwork, late nights, inadequate sleep, excess sexual behaviour, drug use, pregnancy, febrile illness and in general aging.  Heart yin will be damaged through emotional trauma, shock, ongoing anxiety and excessive worry.  When the kidney yin is weak it is unable to support the heart yin and they become unbalanced and blood circulation begins to stagnate due to increased blood viscosity.  The deficiency yin heat then congeals fluids into phlegm creating both blood and phlegm stagnation.

Clinical symptoms of kidney and heart yin deficiency are burning pains with palpitations, dizziness, red/dry tongue with no coat, 5 heat sensation, insomnia and possible eye disorders.

3. Heart Yang Deficiency
Yang deficiency is the root of many chest pain patterns that involve the heart, especially those which are due to deficiency cold and phlegm obstruction.  With yang deficiency there is accumulation of cold, the heart is weakened therefore circulation is impaired and fluids are failed to be transformed accumulating into phlegm and dampness.

Clinical symptoms of yang deficiency are chest pain as if  heart is being squeezed and crushed, cold limbs, aversion to cold and other yang deficiency symptoms.


Diagnosis in Western Medicine:
1. Stroke
People suspected of having a stroke will need to be admitted to hospital for tests including:
Brain scan (CT scan or MRI scan) – to determine the type of stroke and where the bleeding has happened.
Ultrasound - to look at the arteries in the neck
Chest X-ray and Electrocardiogram (ECG) – to check for heart or lung problems that may have caused the stroke
Blood Tests – to identify possible causes of the stroke

2. Angiogram
An angiogram will show any plaque (fatty deposits) that have built up, causing the arteries to get narrower or blocking the blood supply. A flexible tube is inserted into an artery in the groin, upper leg, upper arm, or under arm area, and pushed through to the coronary arteries using a thin wire. A dark coloured dye is then run through the arteries and an x-ray is taken which will show up any blockages

3. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
Diagnosis of coronary heart disease can be made using several different tests including:

4. ECG
A test called an ECG (electro-cardiogram) will be carried out to determine whether a heart attack has occurred, what type of heart attack it was and which part of the heart is damaged. An ECG also determines how fast your heart is beating and whether it's beating in a regular rhythm or not.

5. Blood test
A blood test can be used to find out the level of cholesterol in the blood. As cholesterol levels tend to vary, the test will usually be repeated again on different days and at different times to find an average level.

LDL cholesterol is known as "bad cholesterol" and is linked to the development of atherosclerosis (the development of fatty plaques which cause narrowing of blood vessels and impaired blood flow) and subsequently increased risk of CVD.

The ideal level for LDL is <3.4mmol/l in a healthy individual (and less then 2mmol/l if at risk of CVD). HDL cholesterol is known as "good cholesterol" and helps to lower "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood. The ideal level of HDL in a healthy individual is >0.91mmol/l (and greater than 1mmol/l if at risk of CVD). The ideal level for total cholesterol levels in a healthy individual should be below 5mmol/l (and below 4mmol/l if at risk of CVD).