Despite the availability of six classes of antihypertensive agents, control of blood pressure and improving patients' quality of life remain far from ideal. There is a wide variability in terms of the hypotensive effect and side effect profile for the same antihypertensive agent used in different patients. How to select the right agent to provide the most beneficial results in terms of efficacy and improvement of quality of life as well as to decrease clinical symptoms and minimize adverse reactions is an important therapeutic challenge. It has been suggested that clinical usage of pattern (Zheng) diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine may improve the accuracy in selecting the right antihypertensive agents with improved efficacy and deceased adverse effects. Limited research in this area suggested the calcium channel blocker may work better in treating phlegmatic damp excess pattern and blood stasis pattern while beta-blockers may be more beneficial in the liver yang rising pattern. On the other hand, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors may be more suitable in a yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity pattern as well as combined liver and kidney yin deficiency pattern. More research studies using this innovative approach in improving the selection of antihypertensive agents including mechanistic studies are urgently needed.

Objective To approach the effect of Shenfu injection (SFI) and conventional early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) on organ functions and outcomes of septic shock patients. Methods Eighty-four cases conformed to the criteria for the diagnosis of septic shock admitted to Department of Critical Care Medicine of Xuzhou Central Hospital were randomly divided into conventional treatment group (42 cases), and SFI treatment group (42 cases). Conventional treatment was given in the two groups;in SFI treatment group, SFI 100 mL was additionally given by trace continuous intravenous pump 20 mL/h, twice daily for 7 days. Before and after treatment for 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 hours, the levels of hemodynamic status, lactic acid and dosage of vasoactive drugs used, organ function, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, the time of weaning from ventilator, the length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU), time without organ failure and 28-day mortality rate were observed. Results Compared with those before treatment, after treatment in the two groups, the mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac index (CI) and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) were increased, while the levels of heart rate (HR) and lactate were decreased (all P<0.05). Compared with conventional treatment group, in SFI treatment group, after treatment for 24 hours, the MAP level was increased significantly [mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa):75.40±9.75 vs. 71.80±11.08, P < 0.05], that continued to 48 hours; after treatment for 6 hours, the CI level was increased obviously (mL·s-1·m-2: 75.18±34.84 vs. 67.35±39.34, P < 0.05) , that continued to 48 hours; after treatment for 6 hours, the lactic acid level was decreased markedly (mmol/L: 2.03±0.82 vs. 2.24±0.97, P < 0.05);in the comparison of dosage of vasoactive drugs used between two groups, the difference was not significant (all P >0.05). Compared with that before treatment, in the conventional treatment group after treatment for 1 and 3 days, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) was increased, on the 5th day it began to decrease, reaching its minimum on the 7th day (U/L:26.75±16.74 vs. 46.96±25.85);while in SFI treatment group, GGT was increased after treatment for 1 day, on 3rd day it began to decrease, reaching its lowest level on the 7th day (U/L:22.41±17.87 vs. 51.23±27.74);aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil), oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) were increased after the treatment for 1, 3, 5, 7 days, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr) were decreased at different time points after treatment. In the conventional treatment group, the precursor protein (PA) was decreased after treatment for 1, 3, 5 days, on the 7th day it was increased (mg/L:134.20±63.44 vs. 115.70±45.96);while in SFI treatment group, after the treatment for 1 days and 3 days, it was decreased, on the 5th day it was increased, reaching its highest level on the 7th day (mg/L:145.40±59.75 vs. 108.20±54.34). Compared with those before treatment, after treatment for 1, 3, 5, 7 days, APACHEⅡscore and SOFA score were decreased in the two groups, but there was no statistically significant difference in APACHEⅡscore between the two groups, in SFI treatment group after treatment for 3 days, SOFA score was significantly lower than that of the conventional treatment group (6.31±3.86 vs. 7.14±4.03, P<0.05), that continued to the 7th day after treatment. In SFI treatment group, the time for weaning from ventilator (days:7.5±3.5 vs. 9.1±3.2) and the length of stay in ICU (days: 16.1±9.2 vs. 18.7±8.3) were significantly shorter than those in conventional treatment group (both P<0.05). There were no significant differences in time without organ failure (days:14.5±4.2 vs. 15.3±3.1) and 28-day mortality rate [28.6%(12/42) vs. 31.0%(13/42)] between SFI group and conventional group (both P>0.05). Conclusion The combined use of SFI and EGDT can improve hemodynamics, reduce damage to vital organs, and shorten the times for ventilation and stay in ICU in septic shock patients.

Objective:To investigate the distribution characteristics of syndrome types of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in essential hypertension and to explore the distribution rule of TCM syndromes. Methods: A multicenter, large-sample survey method of clinical epidemiology was applied to choose the patients with essential hypertension from North, Middle, and South China. A questionnaire was designed and filled in, then 477 untreated patients with first-diagnosed essential hypertension were selected and the information was recorded into FileMaker database. A cluster analysis method was utilized to study the TCM syndrome distribution rule of essential hypertension. Results: Two-step cluster analysis was done from 3 to 7 clusters. Seven clusters were appropriate, which included deficiency of heart and kidney qi, hyperactivity of liver-yang, deficiency of yin and yang, stagnation of phlegm-dampness, phlegm-heat (subtype of stagnation of phlegm-dampness), blood stasis obstructing collaterals, and other syndromes. The symptoms presenting high percentage in each cluster were more significant in TCM theory. The syndromes of hyperactivity of liver-yang (24.1%) and stagnation of phlegm-dampness (27.1%) presented the high percentages, and deficiency of heart and kidney qi (10.1%), deficiency of yin and yang (8.4%), and blood stasis obstructing collaterals (9.0%) presented the low percentages. Conclusion: As compared with the current syndrome differentiation criteria, two-step cluster analysis results not only include the syndromes of deficiency of yin and yang, hyperactivity of liver-yang, stagnation of phlegm-dampness, but also cover qi deficiency and blood stasis.

Objective To explore the use of pulse indication contour cardiac output (PiCCO) as a guidance for fluid resuscitation and vasopressors employment in patients with septic shock in order to find out the efficacy of this resuscitation strategy in the respect of outcome of patients. Mtthod A total of 30 patients with septic shock were treated with the EDGT fluid treatment protocol as the conventional treatment group from December 2006 to June 2008; and another 26 patients were given fluid treatment under the guidance of PiCCO as PiCCO group from July 2008 to October 2009. Exclusion criteria included patients with history of heart and lung diseases, and liver and kidney dysfunction. The mean arterial blood pressure was maintained above or equal to 65mmHg in PiCCO group,and fluid resuscitation was concluded when global end-diastolic volume index reached 600～750 mL·-2 with the stroke volume variation in ＜ 10% and without auricular fibrillation. Nor-epinephrine was administrated to adiust the systemic peripheral vascular resistance index during 1300～1500 d·s·cm-5·m-2.Dobutamine was empoyed when global ejection fraction was compromised. The options of liquid and diuretics depend upon the presence d extra-vascular lung water. Central venous oxygen saturation and the level of lactate were observed 6hours after resuscitation. The liquid equilibrium for 3 days and the dosage of vasopressors were also recorded. The rate of survival, the time taken for weaning from mechanical ventilation, the days of ICU stay and rate of intact organ function within 28 days were compared between two groups. Results The demphics of patients of two goups were similar. There were no significant difference between PiCCO and the conventional group in values of central venous oxygen saturation and lactate 6 hours after admission to ICU (P ＞ 0.05). And 6 h and 1d after fluid resuscitation, the dosages of dobutamine and the dosages of nor-epinephrine used in PiCCO group were significantly higher than those in conventional group in which the dosages of dobutamine in two groups were [(145.4±24.5)mg vs. (104.2 ± 46.3) mg and (330.2 ± 30.3) mg vs. (202.4 ± 40.3) mg], respectively, and the dosages of nor-epinephrine [(14.5±3.8) mgvs. (10.2±5.6) mgand (38.2±4.2) rng vs.(20.1±6.2) mg], respectively. However, the dosages of vasopressors were similar between two groups 2 d and 3 d later. The amounts of liquid administered to get equilibrium in 6 h and the 3 d in PiCCO group were significantly less than those in conventional group [(2121±578) mL vs. (2910±987) mL and (3845±435) mL vs. (4545 ± 765) mL and (2467±510) mLvs. (2867±618) mL and (951±332) mLvs. (1472±533) mL], respectively. The days required to get free from mechanical ventilation within 28d were significantly longer in PiCGO group[(19.7 ± 8.3) d vs.(15.1±9.1) d], but the days of ICU stay were significantly shorter in PiCCO group [(7.5 ± 3.5) d vs. (9.5±3.2) d] (P＜0.05). The rates of survival and days free from organ failure within 28 days of two groups were similar(P＞0.05). Conclusions When the early fluid management guided with PiCCO in septic shock patients,the fluid management can be implement more safely and precisely. It can shorten the days of ICU stay and days of mechanical ventilation support with avoidance of fluid resuscitation.

The 34 cases in the treatment group were treated with allicin injection through Murphy drip for a course of 10 days with nitroglycerin group as control. Results demonstrated that the total effective rate for symptoms and ECG were 82% and 62% respectively for the treatment group. It also markedly lowered the level of plasmal endothelin, and that of blood sugar in diabetics'. Adverst effects included local pain at the injection site and headache, the incidence of which were 18% and 6% respectively. This therapy is a satisfactory one for stubborn angina pectors.