OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention of Xuezhikang (XZK) on patients of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with different levels of blood lipids.

METHODSAdopting the double blind randomized controlled method, 105 patients of ACS were divided into two groups. The 53 patients in the treated group, 26 with normal blood lipids (NBL) and 27 with hyperlipemia (HL) were treated with conventional western medicine plus XZK 1.2 g per day for 12 weeks. The 52 patients in the control group, 25 with NBL and 27 with HL, were treated with conventional western medicine alone. Besides, a healthy control group consisted of 40 subjects was set up. The changes of brachial arterial endothelium-dependent diastolic function (FMD) before and after treatment was observed, the changes of blood levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipids were also recorded.

RESULTSBefore treatment, FMD value and serum NO level were lower and ET-1 and CRP levels in ACS patients were higher than those in the healthy subjects, and a significant correlation existed between CRP, NO and FMD with LDL-C. After treated for 12 weeks, FMD value and serum NO level increased, levels of ET-1 and CRP decreased significantly in the treated group, showing significant difference to those in the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Serum levels of TC, TG and LDL-C in the treated group lowered significantly. HDL-C level in patients with HL increased significantly while in those with NBL, it showed a trend of increasing but with no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONApplying XZK in ACS patients in early stage, either with NBL or with HL, could improve the endothelial function, antagonize inflammatory response to stabilize the atheromatous plaque.