Objective To reveal the changing law of TCM syndromes of coronary heart disease through an analysis on its related literature in different period of time.Methods A comprehensive retrieval of the TCM syndromes of coronary heart disease published in CNKI and VIP from 1970 to 2010 was carried out.Related TCM syndromes

syndrome factors

and changing law in different period of time were analyzed.Results Totally 308 articles were enrolled and 34 640 cases were analyzed.The common TCM syndromes of coronary heart disease were retention of heart blood stasis

phlegm blocking the heart vessels

both qi and yin deficiency

qi deficiency with blood stasis

heart qi deficiency

qi stagnation with blood stasis

yang qi insufficiency

cold stagnating in the heart vessels

and phlegm combining with blood stasis.The related syndrome factors were blood stasis

qi deficiency

phlegm turbidity

yin deficiency

qi stagnation

and yang deficiency.Of the Ben-root deficiency type

qi deficiency was the first（18 949 cases occupying 24.10%）;In the Biao-symptom excess type

blood stasis was the first（22 101 cases occupying 28.10%）.The proportion of retention of heart blood stasis and retention of phlegm turbidity syndromes was gradually increased in 1970-1989

1990-1999

and 2000-2010

while that of both qi and yin deficiency syndrome was slowly decreased.Conclusion The Ben-root deficiency type of coronary heart disease was mainly of qi deficiency and yin deficiency.The Biao-symptom excess type was mainly of blood stasis

phlegm turbidity

and qi stagnation.The proportion of syndrome factors of Biao-symptom excess type including blood stasis and phlegm turbidity and their related syndromes was increasing in recent years.