Effects of Intravenous Nicorandil on the Mid-Term Prognosis of Patients With Acute Heart Failure Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Acute heart failure syndrome (AHFS) remains a major clinical challenge because of its poor prognosis. Nicorandil, a hybrid compound of a potassium-channel opener and nitric oxide donor, has been reported to improve the prognosis of ischemic heart disease. We sought to evaluate the effect of intravenous nicorandil on the mid-term prognosis of AHFS. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 402 consecutive patients who were hospitalized for AHFS were divided into 2 groups according to the use of intravenous nicorandil: 78 patients in the Nicorandil group and 324 patients in the Control group. During the 180-day follow-up, death or rehospitalization for heart failure occurred in 7 patients in the Nicorandil group (9.0%) and in 75 patients (23.2%) in the Control group. Event-free survival rates were significantly higher in the Nicorandil group than in the Control group (P=0.006). Multivariate Cox hazard analysis revealed that age (hazard ratio (HR)=1.066, P<0.0001), systolic blood pressure (HR=0.983, P=0.0023), New York Heart Association class III/IV (HR=6.550, P<0.0001), log creatinine (HR=3.866, P=0.0106), and use of intravenous nicorandil (HR=0.179, P<0.0001) were significant predictive factors for the occurrence of death or rehospitalization for heart failure. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous nicorandil treatment from the urgent phase of AHFS may improve the prognosis.