Using Tai Chi and Qigong to Treat Cardiovascular Disease: An Application of Artificial Intelligence to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract Objective: To systematically summarize and synthesize the evidence from 20 key studies examining the therapeutic effects of Tai Chi and Qigong on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its major risk factors, using artificial intelligence (Grok) as an assistive tool for literature analysis, while maintaining methodological consistency with prior reviews on other conditions. Methods: Twenty representative studies (systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and controlled clinical trials) published between 2007 and 2025 were retrieved from PubMed. Each study was analyzed and summarized by the artificial intelligence model Grok with respect to study design, participant characteristics, intervention protocols, primary and secondary outcomes (with effect sizes when available), proposed physiological and psychological mechanisms, strengths, limitations, and clinical recommendations. Results: The aggregated evidence demonstrates that Tai Chi and Qigong, practiced regularly (typically 2–5 sessions/week for 8 weeks to 1 year), consistently produce clinically meaningful improvements across multiple CVD-relevant domains. Notable effects include reductions in systolic blood pressure (up to −12.47 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (up to −6.46 mmHg), total cholesterol, anxiety (SMD up to −2.13), and depression (SMD up to −0.86); increases in exercise capacity (6-minute walk test SMD up to 1.30; aerobic endurance SMD up to 1.12), quality of life (Hedges’ g up to 0.96), and left ventricular ejection fraction; and long-term lowering of cardiovascular event rates in high-risk populations. Interventions were remarkably safe, with minimal adverse events reported across thousands of participants. Proposed mechanisms encompass improved endothelial function, autonomic nervous system balance, reduced systemic inflammation, enhanced cardiopulmonary efficiency, and stress-hormone modulation. Conclusions: Tai Chi and Qigong are safe, low-cost, and effective mind-body interventions that can serve as valuable adjuncts to standard cardiovascular care and cardiac rehabilitation programs. They offer particular benefit for patients who are elderly, deconditioned, or intolerant of conventional aerobic exercise. Despite consistent positive signals, current evidence is limited by small sample sizes, study heterogeneity, and relatively short follow-up periods. Large-scale, long-term, multicenter randomized controlled trials with standardized protocols and hard clinical endpoints are still needed to definitively establish their role in contemporary CVD management.