Objective: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of Maxing Wuzi decoction on acute exacerbation of pulmonary heart disease (phlegm-damp obstructing lung type) and its effect on plasma levels of endothelin (ET)-1 and D-dimer. Method: One hundred and ten patients with acute stage of pulmonary heart disease (phlegm-damp obstructing lung type) were randomly divided into control group and treatment group by random number table

with 55 patients in each group. Patients of control group took routine western medicine therapy. In addition to the therapy of control group

patients in treatment group were give Maxing Wuzi decoction

twice/day

1 dose/day. Course of treatment lasted for 4 weeks in both groups. After treatment

the curative effects in the two groups were evaluated

and changes of blood gas

hemorrheology

cardiac output and mean pulmonary arterial pressure were monitored and compared between both groups. Before and after treatment

plasma ET-1 and D-dimer levels were measured. Result: The total effective rates of control group and treatment group were 56.36% and 87.27% respectively

and treatment group was significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.01). After treatment

PaCO2 for treatment group was lower than that of control group

and PaO2 was higher than control group (P<0.01). Various hemorrheological indexes of observation group were obviously lower than that of control group (P<0.05

P<0.01). After treatment

cardiac output of treatment group was higher than control group

and mean pulmonary arterial pressure was lower than control group (P<0.01). Plasma levels of ET-1 and D-dimer in treatment group were lower than those of control group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Curative effect of Maxing Wuzi decoction are efficient in treating acute exacerbations of pulmonary heart disease (phlegm-damp obstructing lung type)

and its mechanism may be related with improving blood viscosity and inhibiting levels ET-1 and D-dimer.