A wave of concern over heart health is spreading across China after the reported sudden cardiac death of education influencer Zhang Xuefeng, 41, on March 24. Within hours, online searches for heart medications and related devices surged, as many sought ways to respond to similar emergencies.
Data cited by Chinese media outlets, including Hangzhou Daily and Jimu News, show that searches for drugs such as Suxiao Jiuxin Pill, nitroglycerin, and sublingual nitroglycerin tablets rose more than 30-fold year-on-year beginning the evening of March 24. Interest in automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, increased tenfold, while searches for supplements such as Coenzyme Q10 climbed more than eightfold.
Hospitals are also seeing the effect. A cardiology clinic in Wuhan reported that patient consultations tripled in the days following the incident.
Online, the reaction has been immediate and personal. Some users described losing friends or relatives to heart attacks in their 40s and 50s, while others questioned whether such cases are becoming more common. Additional speculation circulating on social media has not been independently verified.
The surge in attention has brought renewed focus to Suxiao Jiuxin Pill, a traditional Chinese medicine often used for certain heart conditions. Doctors say its growing popularity among younger people is a concern.
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Yang Jianmin, deputy director of cardiology at Hangzhou Hospital affiliated with Westlake University School of Medicine, said some patients now carry the drug as a way to cope with fatigue. In his view, that reflects a misunderstanding of what the medication is designed to do.
Used without a clear diagnosis, he said, the drug may dull symptoms without addressing their cause. That can delay treatment, particularly in cases of heart attack, where timing is critical.
When symptoms such as chest tightness, palpitations, or chest pain appear, the priority should be medical evaluation, not self-treatment. Tests such as electrocardiograms or coronary CT scans are needed to determine whether the problem is cardiac in origin.
Zhang Hai’ou, a supervising pharmacist at Taikang Xianlin Drum Tower Hospital, made a similar point. Despite its name, Suxiao Jiuxin Pill is not a general remedy for all heart-related discomfort.
In cases of coronary heart disease or angina triggered by reduced blood flow, the drug can help by dilating coronary arteries and easing chest pain. But similar symptoms can also arise from fatigue, stress, lung infections, or pleurisy. Those conditions are not linked to myocardial ischemia and do not respond to the medication.
How the drug is taken also matters. It is designed to dissolve under the tongue, not to be swallowed, with a typical acute dose of 10 to 15 pills. A lack of the expected cooling or tingling sensation may indicate that the medication has lost effectiveness. If the mouth is dry, a small sip of water can help with absorption.
Body position during use can affect safety. Standing may lead to dizziness or a drop in blood pressure, while lying flat can increase the volume of blood returning to the heart and add strain. A seated or semi-reclined position is generally recommended.
Doctors also point to the risk of low blood pressure as a common side effect. When combined with antihypertensive drugs or nitrate medications, the effect may be amplified, requiring close monitoring.
