β-BLOCKER THERAPY IN HEART FAILURE - 03/09/11
Résumé |
Congestive heart failure remains a complex pathophysiologic syndrome associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although advances in therapy, particularly with vasodilators, have improved prognosis, progression of heart failure occurs in most patients, and the role of neurohormonal stimulation has taken on increasing importance. The renin-angiotensin system is activated in heart failure and has been the target of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, the most proven drugs in heart failure.14, 44 Increasingly the crucial role of the sympathetic nervous system has been recognized: Catecholamines are markers for advanced heart failure but also exert toxic effects.37 More recently, there has been increasing attention to the pathologic remodeling23 in heart failure that contributes to the progression of the syndrome. β-Blocker drugs are neurohormonal antagonists and also appear to remodel the failing ventricle.24 Early reports suggested clinical efficacy,7 and subsequent data have shown evidence that the progression of heart failure might be prevented or even reversed.8 The effect of β-blockade on these processes has added to growing interest in these agents for the therapy of heart failure.
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| Portions of this article appeared in The Cardiology Clinics: Annual of Drug Therapy, Vol. 3, 1999. |
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| Address reprint requests to Peter Carson, MD, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 50 Irving Street NW, Washington, DC 20422 |
Vol 19 - N° 2
P. 267-278 - mai 2001 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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