Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in patients with acute myocardial infarction suffering from diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the “real world” effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in patients with acute myocardial infarction suffering from diabetes mellitus (AMI+DM patients).

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study. During hospitalization, the “exposure group” was defined as patients who had a TCM injection for ≥ 7 d. During follow-up, the definition of the exposure group was application of a Chinese patent medicine or decoction of Chinese medicine for ≥ 28 d. General information (age, sex, contact details), TCM use and endpoint events of AMI + DM patients during hospitalization and follow-up were collected. The correlation between TCM and the end-point events of AMI + DM patients was analyzed using a multiple logistic regression method.

RESULTS

A total of 479 AMI + DM patients were enrolled and 345 cases were followed up. During hospitalization, TCM, age, hypertension and use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) were associated with cardiac death. During follow-up, TCM was associated with cardiac death. TCM was a relevant factor for a composite endpoint of re-infarction and stroke. TCM, anti-thrombotic therapy and lipid-lowering therapy were related to acute heart failure. TCM, anti-thrombotic therapy, anti-MI therapy and ACEI/ARB use exhibited a strong correlation with re-hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSION

TCM reduced the prevalence of cardiac death during hospitalization, and cardiac death, a composite endpoint of re-infarction and stroke, acute heart failure and re-hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease during follow-up.