TCM pill helps reduce rehospitalisation risk in heart failure

There is scientific evidence that taking qili qiangxin capsules for heart failure can help reduce the risk of being readmitted to the hospital due to worsening symptoms. — TNS

Adding the traditional Chinese medicine qili qiangxin to the standard care for heart failure can significantly reduce the risk of rehospitalisation due to worsening heart failure and cardiovascular death in patients with chronic heart failure.

This is according to the latest research results, which were unveiled on Aug 23 during the 2023 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress held in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Principal investigator and First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University chief cardiologist Professor Dr Li Xinli shared that the randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre clinical trial showed that qili qiangxin capsules could reduce the risk of rehospitalisation due to worsening heart failure and cardiovascular death, by 22%.

The clinical trial involved 3,119 patients with chronic heart failure, conducted in 133 hospitals across mainland China and Hong Kong, over a treatment period of 12 to 36 months.

The average age was 62 years and 72.1% were men.

The adult patients, who had been on a stable standardised baseline treatment regimen for at least two weeks prior to enrolment, were randomly selected in a 1:1 ratio to receive either qili qiangxin (four capsules, three times daily) or a placebo, on top of standard medications for chronic heart failure.

Qili qiangxin is a standardised traditional Chinese medicine extract made from 11 types of herbs and has long been used in China to treat heart failure patients.

During an average follow-up of 18.3 months, 467 patients (30.03%) in the placebo group were rehospitalised due to worsening heart failure and death due to their condition, compared to 389 patients (25.02%) in the qili qiangxin group.

In terms of safety, the researchers found no significant difference in death from any cause, which occurred in 221 patients (14.21%) in the qili qiangxin group and 262 patients (16.85%) in the placebo group.

The capsules were well-tolerated, with no major differences between the two groups in adverse events, including gastrointestinal symptoms, worsening kidney function and increased liver enzymes.

Prof Li said: “To our knowledge, this was the first randomised, double-blind controlled trial of a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of chronic heart failure.

“Our findings demonstrate meaningful clinical benefit with qili qiangxin in patients with HFrEF (heart failure and reduced ejection fraction), which supports the use of qili qiangxin as an adjunct therapy for treating heart failure.”