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Growth hormone therapy in heart failure: where are we now?
Catherine Demers1, Robert S McKelvie
1Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), HHS-General Division, Hamilton, Ontario, L8L 2X2 Canada.
Insights
New heart failure therapies are needed. Growth hormone shows promise in improving cardiac function and quality of life, warranting further investigation despite mixed trial results.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Heart Failure Research
Background:
- Current heart failure treatments improve survival but clinical events persist.
- Novel therapies are essential to enhance functional capacity and quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential of growth hormone as an adjuvant therapy for heart failure.
- To assess its impact on cardiac structure, function, and patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of experimental models and clinical studies on growth hormone in heart failure.
- Analysis of effects on cardiac function, hemodynamics, and functional capacity.
Main Results:
- Experimental and small studies indicate improvements in cardiac function and quality of life.
- Short-term randomized trials have not consistently demonstrated benefit.
Conclusions:
- Growth hormone exhibits potential benefits in heart failure based on preclinical and limited clinical data.
- Further research is required to determine its definitive role as an adjuvant therapy.
Abstract:
Despite improvement in survival with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta blockers, clinical events for patients with heart failure remain elevated. New therapies for heart failure are needed to improve functional capacity, quality of life, and prognosis. Growth hormone exerts direct and indirect effects on cardiac structure and function. Experimental models of heart failure and small studies have demonstrated significant improvements in cardiac function, hemodynamic parameters, functional capacity, and quality of life. Despite the lack of benefit demonstrated in small, short-term, randomized clinical trials, further studies are needed to assess the potential role of this adjuvant therapy in heart failure patients.