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Sacubitril/valsartan in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a guide to its use

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Abstract

Orally administered sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto®) comprises the neprilysin inhibitor prodrug sacubitril and the angiotensin receptor blocker valsartan, and was recently approved in the USA and the EU for the treatment of chronic heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (EF). In the PARADIGM-HF trial, the risk of death from cardiovascular causes or first hospitalization for worsening HF (primary composite endpoint) was significantly reduced with sacubitril/valsartan relative to the ACE inhibitor enalapril in patients with chronic HF with reduced EF. Sacubitril/valsartan was generally well tolerated, with a very low risk of angioedema. Therefore, as a first-in-class angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor, sacubitril/valsartan represents a novel approach to the treatment of chronic HF with reduced EF.

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Acknowledgements

The manuscript was updated from Drugs 2016;76(3):387–96 [27], and was reviewed by: A.L. Clark, Department of Cardiology, Hull York Medical School, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, UK; P.S. Jhund, British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK; K.S. Kim, Department of Internal Medicine, Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, Daegu, Republic of Korea. During the peer review process, the manufacturer of sacubitril/valsartan was also offered an opportunity to review this article. Changes resulting from comments received were made on the basis of scientific and editorial merit.

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  1. Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, 0754, Auckland, New Zealand

    Gillian M. Keating & Paul L. McCormack

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  1. Gillian M. Keating
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  2. Paul L. McCormack
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Correspondence to Gillian M. Keating.

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The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

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G.M. Keating and P.L. McCormack are/were salaried employees of Adis/Springer, are responsible for the article content and declare no conflicts of interest.

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Keating, G.M., McCormack, P.L. Sacubitril/valsartan in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a guide to its use. Drugs Ther Perspect 33, 1–7 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-016-0361-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-016-0361-y

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