Treatment of chronic heart failure of Xin-Shen yang deficiency, interior retention of water-fluid syndrome by external application of Zhuangshenling recipe combined with western medicine: a clinical study / 中国中西医结合杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of external application of Zhuangshenling Recipe (ZR) combined with Western medicine (WM) on the heart function of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients of Xin-Shen yang deficiency, interior retention of water-fluid syndrome (XSYDIRWFS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 140 CHF patients of XSYDIRWFS were randomly assigned to two groups, the treatment group and the control group, 70 in each group. All patients received WM therapy. Those in the treatment group were applied with ZR at Xinshu (BL15) and Shenshu (BL23), while those in the control group were applied with placebos at Xinshu (BL15) and Shenshu (BL23). The therapeutic course for all was 12 weeks. The integrals of TCM syndrome, grading of cardiac function, brain natriuretic polypeptide (BNP), and 6 min walking distance were observed before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After twelve weeks of treatment, the effective rate of improved grading of cardiac function, the total effective rate of TCM syndrome efficacy, and the BNP level were obviously better in the treatment group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in 6 min walking distance between the two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>External application of ZR combined with WM could improve the heart function of CHF patients of XSYDIRWFS.</p>