A review of current therapies used in the treatment of congestive heart failure

Abstract

Congestive heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalizations for patients older than 65 years. There are almost 700,000 new cases of heart failure annually and re-hospitalization rates are as high as 50% within the first few months of initial discharge. These statistics translate to healthcare costs that nearly reached US$40 billion in 2010. Understanding the therapeutic agents that can not only help decrease mortality and morbidity but also decrease the rate of re-hospitalizations is vital in the management of congestive heart failure. Here, the authors highlight the various classes of drugs used in the treatment of heart failure. They then provide a focused review examining the multiple clinical trials that have emphasized the evaluation of mortality, morbidity and hospitalization rates in heart failure patients who are receiving the different types of therapeutic agents.

Keywords: :

• ACE inhibitor
• aldosterone antagonist
• beta-blocker
• congestive heart failure
• ionotrope

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• • Clinical trials have shaped the way congestive heart failure (CHF) is medically managed.

• • Specific types of beta-blockers show advantages over other types in improving morbidity and mortality in CHF patients.

• • The use of inotropic agents is controversial and further trials need to be set up in order to further investigate its beneficial effects.

• • Aldosterone antagonists also have mortality benefits but future studies can be used to investigate which specific types of this class have the best effects in treating CHF.