Abstract:Objective To determine the efficiency and safety of combined treatment of Zhenyuan capsule with lorazepam for anxiety symptoms in the elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) was employed to assess 315 CHF patients (≥60 years old) admitted in our department from January 2013 to February 2015. Eighty-one of them with anxiety symptoms were screened out and then randomly divided into 2 groups, lorazepam alone group (control group, n=40) and Zhenyuan capsule combined with lorazepam group (treatment group, n=41). Besides these, conventional drug treatment, psychological intervention and rehabilitation training were given to both groups. In 4 weeks later, they were compared by scores of heart functions, HAMA scores, Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and serum level of N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Results The treatment group had better heart function, HAMA score and SAS score than the control group (P<0.05). LVEF and NT-proBNP level were both improved in the 2 groups, with more obviously in treatment group, but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Zhenyuan capsule combined with lorazepam improves the curative effect on anxiety symptoms in elderly CHF patients, and has less adverse reaction, good compliance and better efficiency than lorazepam alone.