Impact of one week of Ayurveda-based therapy, lifestyle and diet modification in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction: A retrospective study.

Background: Management of Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is quite challenging, and its prognosis remains poor. Thus, alternative and conventional treatment approaches with lifestyle modifications are needed to enhance the quality of life. One such approach is heart failure reversal treatment (HFRT) that includes Snehana (massage), Swedana (fomentation therapy), Basti (per rectal drug administration), and Hridaydhara.

Objective: The present study evaluated the effect of HFRT in CHF patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and relate the clinical benefit and change in hemodynamic parameters intending to improve the quality of life.

Methods: This study evaluated data from known CHF patients who visited the Madhavbaug Hospital between May 2021 to October 2021. Patients of either gender with NYHA Class I, II, III and LVEF<40 who completed 7-day (12 sessions, one each at day 1 and 7 and remaining days 2 sessions/day) HFRT therapy were included in the study. Data on blood pressure, abdominal girth (ABG) and cardiac parameters [End diastolic volume (EDV), Ejection factor (EF), Systemic vascular resistance (SVR), 6-min walk test (6 MW T), etc. was analysed pre and post-HFRT.

Results: 85 CHF patients with a mean age of 57 years and 67 (78.8%) males were enrolled in the study. The calculated EF, 6 MW T, stroke volume, and SVR significantly changed (p < 0.05) on Day 7 post-HFRT intervention. Though, BMI, ABG, EDV, SV and CO showed a positive change, it was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: HFRT demonstrated a significant change in the hemodynamics, which was also impacted positively by the improvement in 6 MW T, thereby enhancing the quality of life.