Therapeutic effect of Huoxue-Buqi-Qutan decoction for vertigo due to vertebrobasilar insufficiency

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of Huoxue-Buqi-Qutan decoction for vertigo due to vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Methods A total of 120 patients with vertigo due to vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, with 60 patients in each group. The treatment group was treated with Huoxue-Buqi-Qutan decoction and the control group was treated with nimodipine injection. The clinical efficacy, the change of strength before and after treatment were observed; the mean blood flow velocities of the vertebrobasilar arteries were detected with transcranial Doppler. Results After the treatment, the total effective rate was 91.7% (55/60) and 80% (48/60) in the treatment group and the control group, respectively, with significant difference (χ2=12.234, P=0.001). The mean blood flow velocities of the basilar artery, left and right basilar arteries were significantly increased in both groups (t values were 2.909, 4.558, 5.424, 9.831 in the treatment group, and 8.388, 11.191 in the control group, all P<0.01), the improvements of the mean blood flow velocities in the treatment group were significant better than those in the control group (t values were 7.385, 6.940, 3.890, all P<0.01). The vertigo grade was improved in both groups after the treatment than those before the treatment, while the proportion of grade 0 and grade 3 in the treatment group was significantly better than the control group (χ2 values were 8.298, 4.5472, P=0.004, 0.033). Conclusion Huoxue-Buqi-Qutan decoction can obviously improve the vertebrobasilar blood supply and the vertigo grade in patients with vertigo due to VBI, and then improve the clinical efficacy. Key words: Vertigo; Vertebrobasilar insufficiency; Ultrasonography, Doppler, transcranial; Blood flow velocity; Basilar artery; Vertebral artery; Huoxue-Buqi-Qutan decoction