To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xuefu Zhuyu oral liquid (XZOL) as an adjunctive therapy for patients with stable angina (SA), addressing the lack of rigorous evidence.
Key Findings:
Patients receiving XZOL showed a significant reduction in VAS pain scores compared to placebo at week 12 (adjusted mean difference, –0.63; 95% CI, –1.12 to –0.14; P = 0.012).
The reduction in pain intensity was sustained at the 24-week follow-up (–0.47; 95% CI, –0.94 to –0.002; P = 0.049).
The XZOL group had significantly lower use of rescue nitroglycerin at both week 12 (2.7% vs. 13.5%; P = 0.016) and week 24 (2.7% vs. 12.2%; P = 0.029).
Adverse events were comparable between the XZOL and placebo groups.
Interpretation:
Adjunctive treatment with XZOL significantly reduced angina pain intensity and the need for rescue medication in patients with stable angina, demonstrating a favorable safety profile, which may enhance current treatment strategies.
Limitations:
The study was limited to a specific population in China, which may affect generalizability.
Long-term effects beyond the 24-week follow-up were not assessed, and the sample size may limit the power of the findings.
Conclusion:
XZOL is an effective adjunctive therapy for reducing angina pain and medication use in stable angina patients, warranting further research to confirm these findings.
