Zhi Gan Cao Tang was used to treat 23 cases of arrhythmia caused by coronary heart disease. A control group of 23 cases was set and treated with 1/4 of the dosage of treated group, in addition, all the ingredients were not soaked with yellow wine before being decocted as directed by the usage. Results: treated group: 16 cases were clinically cured, 4 improved, 3 ineffective; control group: 6 clinically cured, 9 improved, 8 ineffective. The total effective rate of treated group was 87.1, control group 65.2%, and there’s significant difference between two groups (P<0.01).
Zhi Gan Cao Tang was used to treat 30 cases of ventricular premature beat, 8 cases of which were functional, 22 organic (including 2 cases of myocarditis, 4 myocardiopathy, 7 rheumatc heart disease, 9 cardiac insufficiency). Results: 25 cases were markedly effective (premature beat disappeared after being treated), 3 effective (the times of premature beat decreased by 50% or one degree after being treated), 1 ineffective (no changes after being treated), 1 aggravated (the times of premature beat increased by 50%). The total effective rate was 93.3%.
Zhi Gan Cao Tang was usded to treat 12 cases of senile sick sinus syndrome. Age of the patients ranged from 62 to 78 years, averagely 66 years. The course of diseases ranged from 1 to 6 years, averagely 2.5 years. EKG or dynamic ECG of 12 cases all manifested as continuous bradycardia and the heart rate less than 50 times per minute, and all patients’ results of provocative test of atropine were positive. 1 case was accompanied with intermittent sinus arrest, 2 sinoauricular block, 2 ventricular premature beat, 2 paroxysmal rapid ectopic cardiac rhythm. All patients were accompanied with palpitation or chest stuffiness, vertigo and fatigue, poor memory, and increased night urination of various degrees. 2 cases had transient syncope, 3 cases had amaurosis. Basic formula: zhi gan cao, zhi huang qi, dang shen, shen di, shu di, 30g each; e jiao 15g; mai dong, ma ren, 12g each; gan jiang, gui zhi 6g each. Variations: with aversion to cold or syncope, use bie zhi shen instead of dang shen, add fu zi 6g; with severe palpitation, add long gu, mu li, 30g each; with petechia on the tongue body, add dan shen 30g, chuan xiong 9g. 1 dose every day, after being decocted with water, 150ml juice was taken orally in two times, the course of treatment lasted for 2~5 months. During the treatment, western medicine were not administered to all patients except for two cases whose heart rate were less than 45 times per minute and were accompanied with syncope, they were treated with atropine 1mg + 5% glucose 500ml, iv.gtt for 1 week. Results: 6 cases were markedly effective (symptoms basically disappeared, HR increased by 10% on the original basis, EKG was approximately normal), 4 ineffective (symptoms were improved, HR increases by 5% on the original basis, EKG was also improved), 2 ineffective (no changes in symptoms, HR or EKG). During the 1~3 years’ follow-up survey of the markedly effective and effective cases, 2 were fixed with cardiac pacemaker, 8 were in stable state and administered with the TCM formula mentioned above for 1~3 months per year during the survey.
Zhi Gan Cao Tang was used to treat 150 cases of coronary heart disease and angina. 48 cases were markedly effective, 90 improved, 12 ineffective, the total effective rate was 92%. EKG of 37.3% of the cases were improved. The treatment took effect in 30.8% of cases during the first week, 29.4% during the second week, others above three weeks.
Zhi Gan Cao Tang was used to treat 68 cases of hypotension. Before the treatment, the average value of SBP were 11.24Kpa, BBP 7.51Kpa; after the treatment, the average value of SBP wer 14.72Kpa, BBP 9.39Kpa, the increased values of SBP and BBP were 3.48±0.41Kpa (P<0.01) respectively. Results: 40 cases were markedly effective (BP increased to more than 15.2/10.0Kpa, subjective symptoms disappeared), 26 effective (BP increased to12.0/8.0Kpa, subjective symptoms were improved), 2 ineffective. The total effective rate was 97%.