Clinical improvement of premature ventricular contraction in an elderly patient treated with Chaihu Sanshen Capsule

RATIONALE: Premature ventricular contraction (PVC) is one of the most common kinds of arrhythmias for which the treatment poses a therapeutic dilemma. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history in arrhythmia treatment, and this is a rare case of an elderly patient with PVC who showed significant improvement after receiving Traditional Chinese medicine treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 82-year-old male, with a history of mitral stenosis, has undergone surgical mitral valve replacement. This time, he presented with chest pain and palpitations. He was diagnosed with frequent PVCs. DIAGNOSES: He was diagnosed with PVC by 24-hour Holter monitoring. INTERVENTIONS: The patient visited The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine on November 4, 2024, and received therapy with Chaihu Sanshen Capsule (CHSSC). OUTCOMES: After taking CHSSC for 3 treatment courses, the Holter tests showed that the number of ectopic premature beats decreased from 47,730 to 844 within 24 hours. This objective improvement was correlated with significant symptomatic relief, including a pronounced reduction in palpitations and easing of chest tightness. LESSONS: This single case observation generates the hypothesis that CHSSC may be associated with reduced PVC burden and symptomatic improvement in elderly patients. Nevertheless, these preliminary findings warrant further investigation through larger prospective studies to establish conclusive evidence.