Once the artery is damaged, blood cells called platelets build up there to try and repair the injury. Over time, fats, cholesterol, and other substances also build up at the site, which thickens and hardens the artery wall. The amount of blood that flows through the artery is decreased, and oxygen supply to organs also decreases. Blood clots may also form, blocking the artery.

According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, there are some patterns of syndrome that lead to myocardial infarction.
1. Deficiency of heart Yang
2. Stagnation of heart blood
3. Deficiency of heart Qi and Yin
4. Deficiency of heart and lung Qi

Our TCM clinical practice has showed that integration of Chinese medicine and western medicine is a very good choice for this disease. When treating myocardial infarction, Chinese doctors will take everything into consideration, including the following conditons.
1. High blood pressure
2. Elevated LDL ("bad") cholesterol
3. An accumulation of homocysteine
4. Smoking
5. Diabetes
6. Inflammation