ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of Shenmai Injection (SI) in treating congestive heart failure (CHF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The changes in cAMP, cGMP, serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT, a specific marker reflecting myocardial injury), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) were simultaneously monitored in 62 chronic CHF patients, distributed in the two groups, the routine treatment group and the routine treatment + SI group, by randomized grouping method, and the therapeutic effect of the two groups was compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The plasma cAMP/cGMP ratio increased in early stage and decreased in late stage of the course of CHF. The serum cTnT level was progressively increased along with heart function deterioration. After treated with SI for 2 weeks, the CHF patients' hemodynamics got stable and heart function obviously improved. No serious adverse reaction was found in the therapeutic course.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The level of serum cTnT might be taken as a reliable biochemical parameter to predict the prognosis of CHF patients. SI is an effective and safe agent in treating CHF.</p>