Objectives Although the use of β blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI)/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), the malignant arrhythmia and cardiac sudden death remains

Methods Sixty-six patients with CHF were randomly divided into two groups: the study group (n = 32) treated with 4.8g of shensongyangxin capsule daily in combination with routine pharmacotherapy, and the control group (n = 34) treated with routine pharmacotherapy alone.

Results After treatment, most of the parameters of HRV and HRT were in part normalised in both groups with significant difference between before and after treatment (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the changes of the parameters of HRV and HRT between two groups with study group having more changes than the control group (P < 0.05). The study group had a lower occurrence rate of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (P < 0.05).

Conclusions Shensongyangxin capsule could efficiently normalize in part the HRT and HRV in patients with CHF, reducing arrhythmia simultaneously. As a complimentary agent, shensongyangxin capsule is worthy of recommendation to be used in combination with routine anti-heart failure pharmacotherapy.