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Mrs. Wu, aged 79, visited our outpatient clinic on the evening of August 27, 1992. Chief complaints: palpitation, heat in the precordial region requiring cold compress, difficulty breathing, and vertigo. Initial pulse was absent, later became intermittent, blood pressure was 120/80 mmHg, diagnosed as supraventricular extrasystole.
Past medical history: (1) The patient had previously experienced palpitation and syncope once; (2) History of diabetes mellitus; (3) History of hypertension; (4) Persistent proteinuria; (5) On March 27, 1991, the patient experienced cardiac arrest due to STV (monitored by ECG) after injection of a cardiac medication, was resuscitated, and the heart resumed beating. Prescription:
Poria 2.4g, Cinnamon Twig 1.8g, Chinese Date 1.2g, Liquorice Root 0.9g (i.e., Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice and Jujube Decoction totaling 6.3g)
To be taken 3 times a day, 2.1g each time. (All above are concentrated Chinese medicinals) Advised to take every two hours. The next morning, the patient returned to the clinic, and auscultation was normal.
On October 9, 1992, the patient again complained of dizziness, palpitation, and a sensation of heat in the precordial region requiring cold compress. Auscultation: irregular heartbeat. Pulse diagnosis: initially absent, later intermittent and rapid. Tongue coating was yellow, body red; face was pale. Blood pressure was 140/90 mmHg. ECG showed supraventricular extrasystole (SVT). Prescribed Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice and Jujube Decoction 6.3g, 2.1g per packet, advised to take every 2 hours. The next day, ECG showed normal.
On March 16, 1993, the patient had another episode, ECG showed supraventricular extrasystole. Again prescribed Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice and Jujube Decoction for 2 days. The next day, ECG showed normal. However, the patient still felt slight palpitation, advised to finish the original medication.

On May 27, the patient again felt palpitation, dizziness, chest tightness, intermittent pulse, red and tense coating texture. Blood pressure was 150/70 mmHg. ECG showed supraventricular extrasystole. Prescribed Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice and Jujube Decoction for 1 day. The next day, ECG showed normal.
Arrhythmia, in Chinese medicine, falls under the category of "palpitation," and in pulse manifestation, it is classified as knotty, intermittent, rapid, and swift, as clearly documented in ancient Chinese medical texts. The use of Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice and Jujube Decoction for treating palpitation is based on the "Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases": "After inducing sweating, if the patient has palpitation below the navel, indicating a tendency towards running-piglet, Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice and Chinese Date Decoction is prescribed." About 10 years ago, the author observed a case of bigeminal ventricular extrasystole, the symptoms described were what Chinese medicine refers to as running-piglet. This case confirms that Poria, Cinnamon Twig, Liquorice and Jujube Decoction is indeed effective.