Improvement of cardiac output in patients with severe heart failure by use of ACE-inhibitors combined with the AT1-antagonist eprosartan.

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Gremmler B, Kunert M, Schleiting H, Ulbricht LJ

Improvement of cardiac output in patients with severe heart failure by use of ACE-inhibitors combined with the AT1-antagonist eprosartan.

Eur J Heart Fail. 2000 Jun;2(2):183-7.

PubMed ID

10856732 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of ACE-inhibitor therapy is well documented in the treatment of chronic heart failure. As pharmacological mechanisms of ACE-inhibition and angiotensin II AT1-receptor-antagonists differ, an additional positive effect concerning left ventricular function can be expected in combining both classes of drugs. METHODS: Twenty patients (64.9+/-8.5 years) with advanced chronic heart failure (NYHA class III) receiving long-term medication with digitalis, diuretics and ACE-inhibitors were randomized to either eprosartan (540+/-96 mg/day) or placebo, according to a blinded protocol. Hemodynamic measurements by impedance cardiography were performed at baseline and after 8.85+/-1. 5 days of study medication treatment. RESULTS: Additional treatment with eprosartan resulted in a higher cardiac output than in the control group (P<0.05). While in the active treatment group cardiac output increased significantly from baseline (2.27-3.24 l/min, P=0. 039), there was no change in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The additional treatment with the AT1-receptor antagonist eprosartan, given to severe heart failure patients, who received digitalis, diuretics and ACE-inhibitors, resulted in a beneficial effect by increasing cardiac output. This effect may be due to eprosartan's additional property of blocking the autocrine interaction of locally and not ACE-generated angiotensin II with their respective vascular and myocardial AT1-receptors as well as the influence on prejunctional AT1-receptors located on sympathetic nerve terminals.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Eprosartan	Type-1 angiotensin II receptor	Protein	Humans	Yes	Antagonist	Details