Biomaterial Database

Recent advances in the drug treatment of heart failure. 1998

F A McAlister, and K K Teo

Division of General Internal Medicine, Ottawa Civic Hospital, Ontario, Canada.

A number of important questions surrounding the treatment of systolic congestive heart failure have been answered by randomised clinical trials completed within the past 2 years. In particular, these studies have established that high-dose angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition is more beneficial than low dose therapy, and that angiotensin II receptor antagonists are an acceptable alternative in patients unable to tolerate ACE inhibitors. Digoxin has been shown to be the only inotropic agent not associated with increased mortality, while amiodarone exerts a modest survival benefit in arrhythmiaprone patients. Beta-blockers appear to be beneficial for selected patients although their precise role remains to be defined by ongoing studies.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002316	Cardiotonic Agents	Agents that have a strengthening effect on the heart or that can increase cardiac output. They may be CARDIAC GLYCOSIDES; SYMPATHOMIMETICS; or other drugs. They are used after MYOCARDIAL INFARCT; CARDIAC SURGICAL PROCEDURES; in SHOCK; or in congestive heart failure (HEART FAILURE).	Cardiac Stimulant,Cardiac Stimulants,Cardioprotective Agent,Cardioprotective Agents,Cardiotonic,Cardiotonic Agent,Cardiotonic Drug,Inotropic Agents, Positive Cardiac,Myocardial Stimulant,Myocardial Stimulants,Cardiotonic Drugs,Cardiotonics,Agent, Cardioprotective,Agent, Cardiotonic,Drug, Cardiotonic,Stimulant, Cardiac,Stimulant, Myocardial
D006333	Heart Failure	A heterogeneous condition in which the heart is unable to pump out sufficient blood to meet the metabolic need of the body. Heart failure can be caused by structural defects, functional abnormalities (VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION), or a sudden overload beyond its capacity. Chronic heart failure is more common than acute heart failure which results from sudden insult to cardiac function, such as MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION.	Cardiac Failure,Heart Decompensation,Congestive Heart Failure,Heart Failure, Congestive,Heart Failure, Left-Sided,Heart Failure, Right-Sided,Left-Sided Heart Failure,Myocardial Failure,Right-Sided Heart Failure,Decompensation, Heart,Heart Failure, Left Sided,Heart Failure, Right Sided,Left Sided Heart Failure,Right Sided Heart Failure
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000319	Adrenergic beta-Antagonists	Drugs that bind to but do not activate beta-adrenergic receptors thereby blocking the actions of beta-adrenergic agonists. Adrenergic beta-antagonists are used for treatment of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, glaucoma, migraine headaches, and anxiety.	Adrenergic beta-Antagonist,Adrenergic beta-Receptor Blockader,Adrenergic beta-Receptor Blockaders,beta-Adrenergic Antagonist,beta-Adrenergic Blocker,beta-Adrenergic Blocking Agent,beta-Adrenergic Blocking Agents,beta-Adrenergic Receptor Blockader,beta-Adrenergic Receptor Blockaders,beta-Adrenoceptor Antagonist,beta-Blockers, Adrenergic,beta-Adrenergic Antagonists,beta-Adrenergic Blockers,beta-Adrenoceptor Antagonists,Adrenergic beta Antagonist,Adrenergic beta Antagonists,Adrenergic beta Receptor Blockader,Adrenergic beta Receptor Blockaders,Adrenergic beta-Blockers,Agent, beta-Adrenergic Blocking,Agents, beta-Adrenergic Blocking,Antagonist, beta-Adrenergic,Antagonist, beta-Adrenoceptor,Antagonists, beta-Adrenergic,Antagonists, beta-Adrenoceptor,Blockader, Adrenergic beta-Receptor,Blockader, beta-Adrenergic Receptor,Blockaders, Adrenergic beta-Receptor,Blockaders, beta-Adrenergic Receptor,Blocker, beta-Adrenergic,Blockers, beta-Adrenergic,Blocking Agent, beta-Adrenergic,Blocking Agents, beta-Adrenergic,Receptor Blockader, beta-Adrenergic,Receptor Blockaders, beta-Adrenergic,beta Adrenergic Antagonist,beta Adrenergic Antagonists,beta Adrenergic Blocker,beta Adrenergic Blockers,beta Adrenergic Blocking Agent,beta Adrenergic Blocking Agents,beta Adrenergic Receptor Blockader,beta Adrenergic Receptor Blockaders,beta Adrenoceptor Antagonist,beta Adrenoceptor Antagonists,beta Blockers, Adrenergic,beta-Antagonist, Adrenergic,beta-Antagonists, Adrenergic,beta-Receptor Blockader, Adrenergic,beta-Receptor Blockaders, Adrenergic
D000806	Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors	A class of drugs whose main indications are the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. They exert their hemodynamic effect mainly by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system. They also modulate sympathetic nervous system activity and increase prostaglandin synthesis. They cause mainly vasodilation and mild natriuresis without affecting heart rate and contractility.	ACE Inhibitor,ACE Inhibitors,Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Kininase II Inhibitor,Kininase II Inhibitors,Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors,Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Antagonists,Antagonists, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme,Antagonists, Kininase II,Inhibitors, ACE,Inhibitors, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme,Inhibitors, Kininase II,Kininase II Antagonists,Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Antagonists,Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors,Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitor,Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitors,Antagonists, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme,Enzyme Antagonists, Angiotensin-Converting,Enzyme Inhibitor, Angiotensin-Converting,Enzyme Inhibitors, Angiotensin-Converting,II Inhibitor, Kininase,Inhibitor, ACE,Inhibitor, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme,Inhibitor, Kininase II,Inhibitors, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme
D016032	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic	Works about clinical trials that involve at least one test treatment and one control treatment, concurrent enrollment and follow-up of the test- and control-treated groups, and in which the treatments to be administered are selected by a random process, such as the use of a random-numbers table.	Clinical Trials, Randomized,Controlled Clinical Trials, Randomized,Trials, Randomized Clinical
D057911	Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists	Agents that antagonize ANGIOTENSIN RECEPTORS. Many drugs in this class specifically target the ANGIOTENSIN TYPE 1 RECEPTOR.	Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonist,Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker,Angiotensin Receptor Antagonist,Angiotensin Receptor Blocker,Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists,Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers,Angiotensin Receptor Blockers,Antagonist, Angiotensin Receptor,Antagonists, Angiotensin Receptor,Blocker, Angiotensin Receptor,Receptor Antagonist, Angiotensin,Receptor Antagonists, Angiotensin,Receptor Blocker, Angiotensin,Receptor Blockers, Angiotensin