Exploring the etiology and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis based on the theory "pathogenic cold affecting in the evening".

Atherosclerosis is classified as "vessel bi" in traditional Chinese medicine, and cold evil is one of its important causes. Cold, having the properties of coagulation, stagnation, and contraction, tends to narrow the diameter of blood vessels and slow down blood flow, which can promote the pathophysiological process of atherosclerosis. At present, the etiological theory of vessel bi caused by cold evil has not been fully elaborated. Based on the explanations of " evening" in "pathogenic cold affecting in the evening", such as "ying", "end of year", "end of day", and "time of yang decline and yin exuberance", this paper proposes the viewpoint that the cold evil tends to affect ying-blood and cause vessel bi, and discusses its pathogenesis. From the perspective of the external environment, cold evil affecting the vessel is conditional, often occurring in winter and in the middle of the night. From the perspective of internal environment, the cold evil affects the vessel in a process which can be manifested in three stages: cold injury, cold stagnation, and cold congelation. The strength of yang qi is the factor that determine whether the cold evil can cause disease. Exploring the etiology and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis from the perspective of "pathogenic cold affecting in the evening" provides a new idea for further elucidating the pathogenesis of the disease and expanding its clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]