Objective: To study the effects of shenfu injection on recovery of heart beat in patients undergoing mitral valve replacement surgery. Method: Sixty patients undergoing mitral valve replacement were randomly divided into two equal groups: group S( n =30)and group N( n =30). Shenfu injection at a dose of 1 mL/kg was administered in group S and normal saline of 1 mL/kg was administered in group N before the aorta unclamping 60 s. Clinical data including the incidence of spontaneous recovery of heart beat after aorta unclamping and that of ventricular arrhythmia and the changes of ST-segment one minute after the recovery of heart beat were collected. Meanwhile the time of ante-parallel cycle time

aorta clamping

post-parallel cycle time and the dose of dopamine administered after surgery were recorded. Result: The time from aorta unclamping to spontaneous recovery of heart beat was shorter in group S( P ＜0.01). The incidence of spontaneous recovery of heart beat was higher

while that of ventricular arrhythmia is lower in group S( P ＜0.05). The changes of ST-segment was more mild and the post-parallel cycle time was shorter in group S. The dose of dopamine administered after surgery was fewer in group S( P ＜0.05). Conclusion: The administration of Shenfu injection at a dose of 1 mL/kg before the aorta unclamping one minute facilitated the spontaneous recovery of heart beat and reduced the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia in patients undergoing mitral valve replacement surgery.