Traditional Chinese medicines in the management of cardiovascular diseases: A comprehensive systematic review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Traditional Chinese medicines in the management of cardiovascular diseases

T2 - A comprehensive systematic review

AU - Layne, Kerry

AU - Ferro, Albert

PY - 2016/6/17

Y1 - 2016/6/17

N2 - Aims: The aim was to perform a systematic review of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) in cardiovascular disease. Methods: Electronic databases were searched up to 11 November 2015 for all randomized-controlled trials evaluating the effect of TCM in hypertension, ischaemic stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a fixed-effects model. Results: Four hypertension studies were eligible for statistical analysis and included 133 patients receiving TCM and 130 control patients. There were significant reductions in systolic blood pressure in patients receiving TCM, comparable to results achieved with pharmaceutical medicines. An OR of 3.781 (95% confidence interval 2.392, 5.977; P = 0.000) was observed for the anti-hypertensive effect of TCM. Significant heterogeneity was present (P = 0.011), with a tendency towards publication bias that did not reach significance (P = 0.05275). Outcome measures for other cardiovascular diseases were inconsistent. Conclusions: Certain TCM compounds appear to have significant anti-hypertensive effects, and although some are associated in some studies with improved outcomes in coronary heart disease, heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus, the data are inconsistent and will require large-scale randomized-controlled trials to allow full evaluation of any potential therapeutic benefit in these areas.

AB - Aims: The aim was to perform a systematic review of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) in cardiovascular disease. Methods: Electronic databases were searched up to 11 November 2015 for all randomized-controlled trials evaluating the effect of TCM in hypertension, ischaemic stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a fixed-effects model. Results: Four hypertension studies were eligible for statistical analysis and included 133 patients receiving TCM and 130 control patients. There were significant reductions in systolic blood pressure in patients receiving TCM, comparable to results achieved with pharmaceutical medicines. An OR of 3.781 (95% confidence interval 2.392, 5.977; P = 0.000) was observed for the anti-hypertensive effect of TCM. Significant heterogeneity was present (P = 0.011), with a tendency towards publication bias that did not reach significance (P = 0.05275). Outcome measures for other cardiovascular diseases were inconsistent. Conclusions: Certain TCM compounds appear to have significant anti-hypertensive effects, and although some are associated in some studies with improved outcomes in coronary heart disease, heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus, the data are inconsistent and will require large-scale randomized-controlled trials to allow full evaluation of any potential therapeutic benefit in these areas.

KW - Cardiovascular disease

KW - Coronary heart disease

KW - Hypertension

KW - Traditional Chinese Medicine

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84976885340&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/bcp.13013

DO - 10.1111/bcp.13013

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84976885340

SN - 0306-5251

JO - British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

JF - British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

ER -