Different effects of calcium antagonists in a rat model of heart failure

Calcium antagonists have, to date, shown disappointing effect in chronic heart failure (CHF), possibly due to their cardiodepressant effects and/or reflex increases in sympathetic tone. Mibefradil is a new, selective T-channel calcium antagonist which has no relevant effects on cardiac contractility, sympathetic activity or neurohormonal levels. This study compares the effect of mibefradil with an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor on systemic and cardiac hemodynamics, cardiac structure and survival in a rat model of CHF. Rats underwent coronary artery ligation followed by 9 months treatment with mibefradil, cilazapril or no treatment. Both mibefradil and cilazapril increased survival rate to a similar extent over the study treatment period. Both periods reduced systolic blood pressure compared with untreated rats, although the reduction was slightly more marked with cilazapril than mibefradil. Both treatments decreased left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and central venous pressures without any change in the first derivative LV pressure over time or heart rate. Mibefradil decreased LV weight without effecting right ventricular (RV) weight. Both drugs normalized LV collagen density. The data from this study show that long-term treatment with mibefradil results in a survival benefit comparable to that observed with an ACE inhibitor in a rat model of CHF. Mibefradil was also associated with improvements in cardiac hemodynamics, a reduction in LV weight and fibrosis. Mibefradil may be beneficial in the treatment of CHF.