[Clinical observation of the curative effect of Qiangxin Mixture on congestive heart failure].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of Qiangxin Mixture in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).


METHODS
Sixty cases of CHF were randomly divided into Qiangxin Mixture group (treatment group, n=30) and digoxin group (control group, n=30). The total clinical effective rate, integra of the symptoms of kidney deficiency, classification of functional capacity of the New York Heart Association (NYHA), and echocardiogram [ejection fraction (EF), cardiac output (CO), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), posterior wall thickness (PWT), left ventricular mass index (LVMI)] as well as the measurement of plasma endothelin, angiotensin II and atrial natriuretic peptide were observed in both groups.


RESULTS
The total clinical effective rate of Qiangxin Mixture group was 87%, and improvement was significantly observed in the Lee CHF score, classification of functional capacity of the NYHA, EF and CO (P<0.05, vs before treatment), but no significant improvement in digoxin group (P>0.05). The integra of the symptoms of kidney deficiency, the levels of plasma ET, Ang II and ANP decreased significantly (P<0.01, vs before treatment and digoxin group respectively). IVST, PWT and LVMI were also reduced significantly (P<0.01, vs before treatment; P<0.05 vs digoxin group).


CONCLUSIONS
The Qiangxin Mixture is effective in enhancing cardiac contraction, improving hemodynamics in the short-term and rectifying some indexes in the long-term, so it could postpone the processes of CHF. This mechanism may be related to decreasing the stimulating factors (angiotensin, endothelin) which trigger the cardiac remodeling, delaying or reversing the cardiac remodeling.
Chen
Zhao-Shan
ZS
Department of Cardiovasology, Shanghai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200071, China. czshan@citiz.net
Dong
Yao-Rong
YR
Hu
Wan-Ying
WY
D000368:Aged; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011379:Prognosis
D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C530394:qiangxin