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Morphological and Functional Assessment of the Right Ventricle Using 3D Echocardiography
Published on: October 28, 2020
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Meldonium Improves Functional Capacity in Patients with Right Ventricular Failure.
Dana Kigitovica1,2, Krisjanis Dzirnieks1,2, Aivars Lejnieks1,3
1Riga Stradins University, 16 Dzirciema Str., LV-1007 Riga, Latvia.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|November 13, 2025
Summary
Meldonium improved exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with right ventricular failure (RVF). This study suggests meldonium may be a safe and effective treatment for RVF, a condition with no current therapies.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Pulmonary Hypertension
Background:
- Right ventricular failure (RVF) carries a poor prognosis and lacks specific treatments.
- Meldonium, a cardiometabolic drug, demonstrated efficacy in preclinical RVF models.
- Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a common cause of RVF.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of meldonium in patients suffering from PAH-induced RVF.
- To assess meldonium's impact on exercise capacity and quality of life in RVF patients.
Main Methods:
- A 30-day open-label trial involving 20 RVF patients treated with meldonium (500 mg, b.i.d.).
- Assessment of exercise capacity using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), WHO functional class (FC), Borg dyspnea score (BDS), and quality of life via the SF-36 questionnaire.
- Monitoring of vital signs, blood biochemistry, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels.
Main Results:
- Meldonium significantly increased 6MWT distance (p=0.021) and improved WHO FC and SF-36 scores (p<0.05).
- The Borg dyspnea score post-6MWT was significantly reduced (p=0.003) with meldonium treatment.
- No adverse effects on vital signs or blood biochemistry, including BNP, were observed, indicating meldonium's safety in RVF patients.
Conclusions:
- Meldonium treatment enhances functional capacity and improves the overall well-being of RVF patients.
- The findings suggest meldonium as a potential novel therapeutic agent for RVF, addressing a critical unmet medical need.
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