AKOM News
Contributed by Dr. Jewon Lee, Director of BM Korean Internal Medicine Clinic
: Peering into Internal Medicine, 32nd
2026. 7. 10.
"The best doctor gives the least medicines."
- Benjamin Franklin
This is the insight of a pioneer who warned against the abuse of drugs even before modern internal medicine emerged.
Today, we live in an era overflowing with medications.
However, taking more pills does not necessarily mean getting healthier.
"I am always tired, and my hands swell every morning."
Chest tightness, palpitations, a dry cough, and frequent diarrhea.
A 65-year-old male leading a large organization visited our clinic upon the strong recommendation of an acquaintance who noticed his poor complexion.
Extreme stress, frequent dining out, and late-night binge eating.
Despite exercising regularly five times a week, he was overweight with a body fat percentage of 25.4%.
Increasing Medication, Deepening Illness.
The real problem was the medications he was taking.
Despite taking arrhythmia and hyperlipidemia drugs for over a year, his symptoms did not improve.
Instead, two weeks prior to his visit, two more drugs for diabetes and hyperlipidemia were added at a Western medicine clinic, making him take a total of 5 chemical synthetic drugs (Polypharmacy).
It was a typical vicious cycle where a pill is mechanically added every time a symptom arises.
Analyzing with Modern Science, Gaining Insight with a Holistic View.
To accurately see the inner side of the disease, we actively utilized the products of modern science, such as diagnostic laboratory tests, long-term continuous electrocardiogram (Holter), and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM).
The results were serious.
- Declining Kidney Function: Creatinine 1.33 mg/dL, estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) 59, entering Stage 3a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
- Metabolic Imbalance: HbA1c 5.9% (Prediabetes), severe blood glucose fluctuations.
- Heart Warning Signs: Premature Atrial Contraction (PAC) triplets and non-sustained atrial tachycardia were captured.
His symptoms were not just simple fatigue.
They were the complex result of blood sugar fluctuations and water metabolism abnormalities caused by poor lifestyle habits.
While medications were increasing without fundamental intervention in his life, his kidney function was silently deteriorating.
The Aesthetics of Subtraction, The Beginning of True Recovery.
The core of the treatment was not adding more drugs, but reducing them (Deprescribing).
The arrhythmia medication, which is dangerous to stop abruptly, was gradually tapered over 4 weeks, and the other drugs were also boldly reduced after re-evaluating their risks and benefits.
Instead, we prescribed Oryeong-san (Five Ling Powder / 五苓散) to remove the body's stagnated water (Su-seup / 水濕) along with herbs that comfort the lungs and bronchi (Sangbaekpi, Mahwang, Seokgo) for 3 months.
Simultaneously, we attached a CGM and provided 1:1 lifestyle correction so the patient could visually check and control his postprandial blood sugar.
'Healthy Freedom' Proven by Data.
Table 1. Changes in Diagnostic Laboratory Tests and Body Composition Following Chemical Drug Reduction (Deprescribing) and Comprehensive Korean Medicine Treatment.
The result of implementing a comprehensive Korean Medicine intervention for about 3 months alongside medication reduction and discontinuation through drug re-evaluation. Kidney function (eGFR) significantly improved from the level of chronic kidney disease stage 3a, and fat-centered metabolic recovery without muscle loss, along with HbA1c stabilization, was confirmed through objective indicators.
Figure 1. Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP) for 1 Week Before Treatment.
Results of continuous glucose monitoring before treatment in a patient with metabolic imbalance. It shows that the patient's median blood glucose frequently deviates from the strict target range (70–130 mg/dL) for metabolic recovery, exhibiting severe variability.
Abbreviations: AGP (Ambulatory Glucose Profile), CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring), IQR (Interquartile Range), Avg (Average).
Figure 2. Atrial Arrhythmia Waveforms Observed in Long-term Continuous Electrocardiogram (Holter) Before Treatment.
Electrocardiogram record of a patient complaining of palpitations. It shows intermittent findings of (A) Premature Atrial Contraction triplets (PAC triplet) and (B) 4-beat non-sustained atrial tachycardia (NSAT 4 beats) reaching a maximum heart rate of 158 bpm under a state of metabolic imbalance.
Abbreviations: Holter (Holter electrocardiogram), SVE (Supraventricular Event), PAC (Premature Atrial Complex), NSAT (Non-Sustained Atrial Tachycardia), HR (Heart Rate).
The results of combining herbal medicine, lifestyle improvements, and medication reduction were phenomenal.
- Kidney Function Recovery: The eGFR level quickly recovered and remained stable even after the herbal medicine treatment ended.
- Metabolic Balance: The insulin resistance index (HOMA2-IR) dropped significantly from 0.99 to 0.39, and HbA1c perfectly stabilized at 5.7%.
- Healthy Weight Loss: He lost 4kg of pure body fat with almost no loss in skeletal muscle mass.
Consequently, the fatigue, edema, dry cough, and palpitations all disappeared, and his bowel movements returned to normal, allowing him to regain true health.
Internal Medicine by K.M.D. (Korean Medicine Doctor)
Whether it is surgery or chemical synthetic drugs, there should be no limits to a Korean Medicine physician's tools.
Korean Medicine physicians are universal doctors and medical professionals who can utilize all products of modern science.
However, a true doctor does not entirely depend on surgery or chemical drugs.
Not just mechanically adding pills by looking at the patient's fragmented symptoms, but coordinating the patient's life with a holistic view that pierces through the hidden side of the disease, ultimately guiding them to 'stop taking medication.'
This is the universal doctor the world must recognize, and the true mission of 'Internal Medicine by Korean Medicine physicians' realized as a primary care physician.
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Peering into Internal Medicine 32 - AKOM News
"I'm Always Tired, My Hands Swell, and My Chest Occasionally Feels Tight and Palpitates"
Coordinating the patient's life to break the cycle of polypharmacy: The true mission of a primary care physician realized by a Korean Medicine physician.
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