Medical Condition Heart Failure

Source:

2009 icd-9-cm diagnosis 428 - heart failure

Active Ingredients used for Heart Failure:

Arginine, Coenzyme Q10, Dhea, Ginseng, Thiamin Vitamin B1, Vitamin C

Active Ingredient	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
arginine (l-arginine)	studies of arginine in patients with chronic heart failure have shown mixed results. some studies report improved exercise tolerance. additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.	b
coenzyme q10	there is early data to support the use of coq10 in children with mitral valve prolapse. well-designed clinical trials are needed before a recommendation can be made.	c
coenzyme q10	the evidence for coq10 in the treatment of heart failure is controversial and remains unclear. different levels of disease severity have been studied (new york heart association classes i through iv). better research is needed in this area studying the effects on quality of life, hospitalization, and death rates before a recommendation can be made.	c
dhea	there is conflicting scientific evidence regarding the use of dhea supplements in patients with heart failure. other therapies are proven in this area, and patients with heart failure or other types of heart disease should discuss treatment options with a cardiologist.	c
ginseng (american ginseng, asian ginseng, chinese ginseng, korean red ginseng, panax ginseng: panax spp. including p. ginseng c.c. meyer and p. quinquefolius l., excluding eleutherococcus senticosus)	ginseng appears to have antioxidant effects that may benefit patients with heart disorders. some studies suggest that ginseng also reduces oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (ldl or "bad") cholesterol and brain tissue. better studies are needed to make a firm recommendation.	b
ginseng (american ginseng, asian ginseng, chinese ginseng, korean red ginseng, panax ginseng: panax spp. including p. ginseng c.c. meyer and p. quinquefolius l., excluding eleutherococcus senticosus)	early studies suggest that ginseng may have a positive effect on complications of cardiac bypass surgery, including decreasing damage to the lining of the digestive tract. well-designed studies are needed before a strong recommendation can be made.	c
thiamin (thiamine), vitamin b1	chronic severe thiamin deficiency can cause heart failure (wet beriberi), a condition that merits thiamin supplementation. it is not clear that thiamin supplementation is beneficial in patients with heart failure due to other causes. however, it is reasonable for patients with heart failure to take a daily multivitamin including thiamin, because some of these individuals may be thiamin deficient. diuretics may lower thiamin levels. since diuretics are commonly administered to patients with heart	c
vitamin c (ascorbic acid)	vitamin c does not appear to lower cholesterol levels or reduce the risk of heart attacks. effects on cholesterol plaques in heart arteries (atherosclerosis) remain unclear, and some studies suggest possible beneficial vasodilation (artery opening) properties. based on the current scientific evidence, vitamin c is generally not recommended for this use. people at risk of heart attacks should speak with their healthcare provider to consider preventive measures such as aspirin.	d

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.