Objective To study the clinical effect of Qiliqiangxin capsule on chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients for two weeks.

Methods 64 CHF patients were randomised equally into two groups. All were treated with the basic conventional treatment. Additionally, 1.2 g of QC was given three times a day to the therapy group, while no additional treatment was given to the control group. During the treatment, body weight, urine output, sweat secretion and 6 min walking distance were observed in the two groups. The dosage of cedilanid and furosemide for the first week and second week in the two groups was analysed. The levels of serum Na⁺ in two groups were respectively measured on the second, eighth and fifteenth hospital day. During the treatment, the side-effect and compliance were observed.

Results 1 and 2 weeks after treatment, the number of sweat secretion was less in two groups, but the decrement was more significant in the therapy group than in the control group (p<0.05). One weeks later, the urine output was more than that before (p<0.05), body weight became less (p<0.05), and 6 min walking distance was better than before, but there are all no significant differences between two groups (p>0.05). 2 weeks later, in both groups, the urine output was more than that before; body weight became less;6 minwalking distance was better than before. All these differences are significant differences statistically (p<0.05). And there are significant differences about urine output and 6 min walking distance between two groups statistically (p<0.05); about body weight between two groups there is no significant difference (p>0.05). There are no significant differences about the dosage of lanatoside C and furosemide in the first and second week between two groups statistically (p>0.05). The level of serum Na⁺ on the eighth hospital day was less than before in both groups (p<0.05), but there are no significant differences between two groups statistically (p>0.05); on the fifteenth day, there is almost no change about that of the therapy group compared with that on the eighth day (p>0.05); on the contrary, there is a significant difference in the control group statistically (p<0.05); and there is a significant difference between two groups statistically (p<0.05). During the period of using the capsule, the 33 patients have not any uncomfortable complain about this drug and nobody stop using this capsule.

Conclusion The effect of QC about releasing hyperidrosis in a short time is conspicuous. It can play the role in a short time. There is no obvious effect on body weight. The short-term effects of QC about improving urine output and 6 min walking distance are not significant, but it plays this role during the second week gradually. QC can't reduce the dosage of cedilanid and furosemide. QC has the effect of keeping the level of serum Na⁺ to some extent. During the observation, the tolerance of this capsule is good, and there is no side effect observed.