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Post-Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure in Closed-chest Coronary Occlusion/Reperfusion Model in Göttingen Minipigs and Landrace Pigs
Published on: April 17, 2021
[Heart rate reduction: beneficial effects in heart failure and post-infarcted myocardium]
Alain Berdeaux1, Renaud Tissier, Nicolas Couvreur
1Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine de Créteil et Fédération de Cardiologie de l'Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France. alain.berdeaux@inserm.fr
Insights
Reducing heart rate (HR) with beta-blockers or ivabradine benefits advanced heart failure patients. Further trials are needed to determine optimal therapeutic strategies for these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Heart rate (HR) is a key predictor of cardiovascular events in advanced heart failure.
- Reducing HR with medications like beta-blockers and ivabradine improves outcomes in heart failure and post-infarction patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the effects of HR reduction on cardiovascular events and remodeling.
- To compare the mechanisms of action of beta-blockers and ivabradine.
- To explore optimal therapeutic strategies for advanced heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical trials on beta-blockers and ivabradine.
- Analysis of HR reduction mechanisms and effects on fibrosis and remodeling.
- Comparison of drug effects on post-systolic contraction.
Main Results:
- HR reduction by beta-blockers and ivabradine leads to favorable effects in heart failure and post-infarction patients.
- Benefits include reduced myocardial ischemia risk factors and decreased cardiac/perivascular fibrosis.
- Mechanisms differ, particularly regarding effects on post-systolic contraction.
Conclusions:
- Both beta-blockers and ivabradine demonstrate efficacy in reducing HR and improving outcomes.
- Distinct mechanisms of action necessitate further research.
- Clinical trials are required to ascertain whether to substitute or combine these drugs for optimal patient management.
Abstract:
Heart rate (HR) is an independent predicting factor of cardiovascular events in patients with advanced heart failure. Clinical trials conducted with beta-blockers have demonstrated that reduction of HR is a fundamental mechanism to explain the reduction of morbidity-mortality in such a disease. Trials conducted with ivabradine, the first selective inhibitor of the I(f) current in cardiac pacemaker cells, have also clearly confirmed that reduction of HR lead to powerful and sustained favourable effects in patients with cardiac failure and post-infarcted myocardial diseases. These effects are not only due to the reduction of the risk factors associated with myocardial ischemia but also to the reduction of cardiac and perivascular fibrosis associated with the remodelling process at the ventricular level. Although the mechanisms associated with reduction of HR following administration of beta-blockers and ivabradine are to a large extent similar, others like their effects on post-systolic contraction are totally opposed. So, new clinical trials are necessary to know whether it is possible to substitute these drugs or conversely to associate them for an optimal therapeutic strategy in patients with advanced heart failure and post-infarcted myocardium.
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