Expert Survey on the Prevention and Treatment Situation of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Coronary Artery Disease

Objective: To grasp the current situation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) on prevention and treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD) and the possible advantages and disadvantages. Method: Using a survey in the form of questionnaire among 60 cardiovascular disease experts, to grasp current situation of TCM on prevention and treatment of CAD and the possible advantages and disadvantages. Results: In most areas of China, CAD is common, and angina is the most common clinical type. More than 91% experts choose to integrate traditional and western medicine for treatment and prevention of CAD. TCM proprietary medicine, traditional herbal decoction and intravenous TCM are widely used in the clinical work. Clinical advantages of TCM in the prevention of CAD that are listed in the questionnaire include improving symptoms, enhancing quality of life, increasing exercise tolerance, improving cardiac function, relieving angina, secondary prevention of myocardial infarction, etc. The shortcomings include troublesome brewing of herbal medicine, unpleasant taste of decoction, minimal clinical evidence, slow onset of effects and non-standardized prescription of medicine, etc. Conclusion: The survey reflects the present situation of clinical diagnosis and treatment of TCM on prevention and treatment of CAD to a certain extent; more accurate conclusions need the broader, deeper and large-scale clinical survey.