| ObjectiveStudy the effects of Erzhi Pill in postmenopausal period on hypertension, estradiol level and symptoms of estrogen deficiency.MethodsThrough random selection and comparison, this study is prospective with a sample of40female patients with hypertension that meet specific criteria, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Clinic of Cardiology. Those criteria are:①Less than10years in their natural postmenopausal period.②Have been receiving western antihypertensive treatment for more than two weeks.The antihypertensive drug(s) can be one or several from the five major categories:diuretic, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor), angiotensin Ⅱ receptor antagonist, β blocker and calcium channel blocker. Despite the treatment, their blood pressure has not yet been under control:blood pressure is between140-159/90-99mmHg.③Have reached second or third grade of hypertension.④Considered to have deficiency of both Yin and Yang under Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Syndrome Differentiation Approach.20patients were put in Treatment Group and another20in Control Group. Control Group kept the same western antihypertensive treatment as before while for Treatment Group Jiawei Erzhi Pill was added to their original western antihypertensive treatment. Composition:Epimedium15g, Ligustrum lucidum10g and Eclipta10g. Usage:mix it with water, one at a time and once per day; Treatment:4weeks.During the treatment, patients were asked to measure their blood pressure at home themselves. The measurement had to be taken and recorded every day at a fixed hour, and the patients had to come back for physical examination at a weekly basis. If the blood pressure was at140-159/90-99mmHg, the original antihypertensive treatment would be maintained;if in two consecutive measurements on different days the blood pressure was at160-179/(and, or)100-109mmHg, one more different antihypertensive drug from the five categories (diuretic, ACE inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor antagonist, β blocker and calcium channel blocker) would be added to the original treatment. If in two consecutive measurements on different days the blood pressure was above or equal to180/(and, or)110mmHg, this specific patient would be withdrawn from the study and should inform the researchers of the results immediately by phone.Patients in each group recorded and compared their blood pressure before and after the treatment separately. What is more, both at the beginning of the study and4weeks after the treatment, estradiol level was measured, Kupperman table for estrogen deficiency was filled in and each symptom on the Kupperman index was rated. Changes of the blood pressure, estradiol level and symptoms of estrogen deficiency before and after the treatment were noted through observation.Results1. There is no significant difference in the statistical analysis regarding age, time of menopause, history of hypertension, grade of hypertension, blood pressure, estradiol level, symptom scores of estrogen deficiency and other aspects between the two groups of patients before the treatment. Therefore, the two groups are comparable. During the study, one patient from Treatment Group failed to take the drugs regularly and thus dropped the group.2. Symptoms of estrogen deficiency:patients in both groups have got better after the treatment, with a total efficiency rate of89.47%for Treatment Group and80.00%for Control Group. The data is statistically significant (P<0.05), which leads to the conclusion that Treatment Group gets better results than Control Group.3. Antihypertensive efficacy:When compare the Treatment Group with Control Group, the difference is not statistically significant (P>0.05).4. Estradiol level:When compare the Treatment Group with Control Group, the difference is not statistically significant (P>0.05).Conclusion On the basis of the western antihypertensive treatment, for patients who suffer from hypertension in their postmenopausal period and have deficiency of both Yin and Yang, Jiawei Erzhi Pill is effective in relieving the symptoms of estrogen deficiency. However, it has no significant effect on estradiol and blood pressure level. |
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