February 12, 2001
View Full PaperTreatment of Congestive Heart Failure
Key Result
Standard therapy for chronic systolic heart failure includes ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and diuretics, with early detection and prevention strategies being essential to delay disease progression.
Structured PICO
P
Population
Patients with chronic systolic heart failure, including asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction and symptomatic disease
I
Intervention
Pharmacological management including ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, digoxin, aldosterone antagonists, ARBs, hydralazine, and isosorbide dinitrate
This review provides a simplified overview of guidelines for the pharmacological management of chronic systolic heart failure for primary care physicians and specialists.
Limitations
- Data on antiarrhythmic and anticoagulation therapies are inconclusive
Abstract
During the past 10 years, the philosophy of heart failure treatment has evolved from symptom control to a combined prevention and symptom-management strategy. Recent clinical trials have proved that early detection can delay progression. Treatment of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction is as important as treatment of symptomatic disease. The purpose of this review is to simplify recent guidelines for pharmacological management of chronic systolic heart failure for the primary care physician and the heart failure specialist. Early recognition and prevention therapies, combined with lifestyle modification, are essential in the treatment of heart failure. Therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, and diuretics is now standard. Digoxin is added to improve clinical symptoms, especially in patients with atrial fibrillation. Aldosterone antagonists may be recommended in select patients with stable New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure. If angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are not tolerated, angiotensin receptor blockers, hydralazine hydrochloride, and isosorbide dinitrate are recommended. The data on antiarrhythmic and anticoagulation therapies are inconclusive.