Medicine Constitution Intervention Combined with "Three-in-One" Treatment in Elderly Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention that combines Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution identification and TCM health management with the "Three-in-One" community prevention and treatment model in managing atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in elderly patients. Methods: In this retrospective multicenter study, the medical records of 206 outpatient participants diagnosed with atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases from June 2022 to June 2023 were reviewed. Participants were divided into 2 groups. Among participants, 104 (the control group) received instructions on adjusting medications and general health education. The other 102 (the intervention group) underwent TCM constitution identification and health management, which included psychological conditioning, dietary regulation, lifestyle adjustment, and physical exercise. Each intervention period lasted for 52 weeks, constituting one treatment course. Results: No notable improvements were identified in the changes to constitutional elements across both groups (p > .05). Both the treatment and control rates demonstrated significant improvement in both the intervention and control groups (p < .05). Conclusion: The combination of TCM constitution identification, TCM health management, and the Three-in-One treatment model showed promising results in managing atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in elderly patients.