Contemporary treatment of Western and Chinese medicine for cardiac syndrome X / 中国结合医学杂志

Clinical reports on cardiac syndrome X (CSX) have been increasing in recent years. In general, CSX does not increase the cardiovascular mortality, but it can affect the patient's quality of life (QOL) and increase the incidence rates of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Although a variety of drugs and therapies have been utilized in the clinical treatment, the management of CSX still represents a major challenge due to its unclear pathogenesis. It is necessary to explore more effective treatment programs. Many attempts have been made on trials of the Chinese medicine (CM) treatment for CSX and proved that CM has a certain advantage in efficacy to improve clinical symptoms and QOL. CM may provide a new approach for the effective treatment of CSX.

Summary of 32 patients with cardiac syndrome X treated by TCM therapy of regulating qi relieving chest stuffiness and promoting blood circulation / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical effect of Liqi Kuanxiong Huoxue method LKH, traditional Chinese medicine, TCM therapeutic method for regulating qi, relieving chest stuffiness and promoting blood circulation) in treating patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The prospective, non-randomized controlled study was conducted on 51 selected patients with CSX, who were non-randomly assigned to 2 groups, the treated group treated with LKH in addition to the conventional treatment (32 patients), and the control group treated with conventional treatment (19 patients) like nitrate, diltiazem hydrochloride, etc. The treatment course was 14 days. The changes of such symptoms as angina pectoris, TCM syndrome and indexes of treadmill exercise test before and after treatment were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, such symptoms as chest pain and stuffy feeling and palpitation in the treated group were improved more than those in the control group (P<0.05); the total effective rate on angina pectoris and TCM syndrome in the treated group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). The treadmill exercise test showed that the maximal metabolic equivalent (Max MET), the time of angina onset and ST segment depression by 0.1 mV were obviously improved after treatment in both groups, but the improvement in the treated group was better than that in the control group respectively (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The LKH method could reduce the frequency of angina attacks and improve the clinical condition of patients with CSX.</p>

Clinical study on effect of shengmai injection on serum concentration and pharmacokinetic parameters of digoxin in patients with congestive heart failure / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Shengmai Injection (SMI) on serum concentration and pharmacokinetic parameters of digoxin in patients with congestive heart failure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty in-patients with congestive heart failure were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups, the three treated groups I, II and III treated with digoxin combined with 20 ml, 40 ml and 60 ml of SMI respectively, and the control group, 10 patients in each group. The serum concentration of digoxin at different time points was determined with radioimmunoassay and the pharmacokinetical parameters were calculated with 3P97 pharmacokinetic software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum concentration of digoxin in the treated group I was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), with the pharmacokinetical parameters, including the elimination half-life time (T1/2), elimination rate constant (Ke), apparent volume of distribution (Vd), plasma clearance (CL) and area under curve (AUC), significantly different to those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). But the serum concentration of digoxin with its pharmacokinetical parameters in the other two treated groups were not different significantly to those in the control group respectively (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SMI could influence the metabolism of digoxin in patients with congestive heart failure. This study has provided an important reference for safe and rational combined use of digoxin and SMI in clinical practice.</p>

Analysis on the Characteristics of TCM Syndrome in 51 Patients with Cardiac Syndrome X / 中医杂志

Objective To explore the TCM syndrome characteristics of cardiac syndrome X(CSX).Methods The signs and symptoms of 51 patients with CSX were analyzed according to the diagnosis of TCM syndromes to summarize their syndrome character- istics.Results of the 51 CSX cases,the following signs and symptoms took dominance:chest pain,fullness in chest,epigastric and abdominal distention,emotional distress,dark purple tongue with petechia,greasy coating,string-taut pulse.The syndromes were mainly of Biao-Superficial excess,including qi stagnation,phlegm retention and blood stasis,occupying 66. 7%,accompanied with Benroot deficiency,including qi deficiency,yin deficiency,qi and yin both deficiency,occupying 33.3%.Conclusion Qi stagnation, phlegm retention and blood stasis are the primary syndromes of CSX.