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[Losartan in therapy of chronic heart failure]

Insights

Losartan effectively treats symptomatic congestive heart failure in ischemic heart disease patients. This nonpeptide angiotensin-2 receptor antagonist improves heart function and reduces adverse cardiac remodeling over 48 weeks.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) presents significant therapeutic challenges.
  • Current treatments aim to manage symptoms and slow disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of losartan, a nonpeptide angiotensin-2 subtype-1 receptor antagonist, in treating symptomatic CHF in patients with IHD.
  • To assess the impact of losartan on cardiac structure and function over a 48-week period.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 116 patients (age 36-62) with functional class II-III angina and CHF.
  • Patients received either standard therapy or standard therapy plus losartan (25 mg/day) for 48 weeks.
  • Echocardiography was used for efficacy monitoring.

Main Results:

  • Losartan significantly improved patients' clinical status and heart failure functional class.
  • Within 12 weeks, losartan reduced left ventricular and atrial dilation, improving inotropic indices.
  • By 48 weeks, losartan halted pathological left ventricular remodeling and prevented decreased myocardial contractility.

Conclusions:

  • Losartan demonstrates significant benefits in managing symptomatic CHF in IHD patients.
  • Early intervention with losartan (by week 3) shows positive effects in restricting cardiac failure progression.
  • Long-term losartan therapy (48 weeks) preserves left ventricular structure and function.

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