Alternative Therapies for Congestive Heart Failure

Therapy	Best Evidence *	Probably Useful †	Least Evidence ‡
Herbals	Hawthorn (80–300 mg b.i.d., tincture 4–5 ml t.i.d.).		Cinnamon (2–3 mg/day, tincture 2–3 ml t.i.d.).
Diet and Nutrition/Lifestyle	Coenzyme Q10 (30–100 mg t.i.d.); magnesium (300 mg/day); thiamine (20–100 mg/day).	Carnitine (500 mg b.i.d.–t.i.d.); taurine (3–6 g/day).	l -Arginine (1500 mg–12 g/day).
Mind-Body Interventions	Relaxation and stress management; screen and treatment for depression; guided imagery.	Cognitive-behavioral therapy; social support; anger/hostility management; meditation; tai chi; yoga.

^*Therapies with the highest degree of scientific support for efficacy and safety.
^†Therapies that are often helpful but that do not have the highest degree of supporting evidence for efficacy and safety.
^‡Therapies that may be useful but that have limited scientific evidence for efficacy and safety.
SOURCE: Sierpina, VS: Integrative Health Care: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for the Whole Person, F.A. Davis, Philadelphia, 2000.