New Treatment Option for Heart Failure Patients

Aldosterone plays an important role in the harmful cardiac remodeling process and pathophysiology of heart failure after a myocardial infarction. Until recently, spironolactone (Aldactone) was the only pharmacologic agent available to directly block the deleterious effects of aldosterone. The use of spironolactone is complicated by its antiprogesterone and antiandrogen side effects, such as gynecomastia and menstrual irregularities. Eplerenone (Inspra), a member of a new class of drugs called selective aldosterone receptor antagonists, was recently approved for the treatment of both hypertension and post-myocardial infarction heart failure and appears to be devoid of the antiprogesterone and antiandrogen effects. In a trial in patients with heart failure following a myocardial infarction, eplerenone treatment significantly reduced mortality and morbidity compared to placebo. Eplerenone may be considered as part of the therapeutic plan in patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction and demonstrate evidence of heart failure.