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A Change of Heart: the New Era of Heart Failure Management

  • Pharmacology of Acute Care (J Fanikos, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review provides in-depth insight into the recently published literature surrounding two new heart failure therapies, sacubitril/valsartan and ivabradine.

Recent Findings

Significant literature has emerged in the last few years supporting the use of both sacubitril/valsartan and ivabradine in patients with chronic heart failure. Both agents were recently approved and included in the 2016 American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and Heart Failure Society of America (ACC/AHA/HFSA) Focused Update on New Pharmacological Therapy for Heart Failure.

Summary

Sacubitril/valsartan was found to significantly reduce cardiovascular and all-cause mortality with an acceptable safety profile in those with reduced ejection fraction. Ongoing trials are evaluating sacubitril/valsartan’s role in the management of patients with preserved ejection fraction, but phase II trials have provided promising results. Ivabradine was found to have a potential role in patients with heart rates ≥70 bpm, despite receiving maximized beta blocker therapy. This recent literature provides support for a shift towards a new era in the management of the heart failure patient.

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References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, L2, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 75 Francis St., Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Megan N. Rhoten, Rhynn Malloy & Craig A. Stevens

Authors
  1. Megan N. Rhoten
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  2. Rhynn Malloy
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  3. Craig A. Stevens
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Correspondence to Megan N. Rhoten.

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Conflict of Interest

Drs. Rhoten, Malloy, and Stevens declare no conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Pharmacology of Acute Care

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Rhoten, M.N., Malloy, R. & Stevens, C.A. A Change of Heart: the New Era of Heart Failure Management. Curr Emerg Hosp Med Rep 5, 21–27 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-017-0122-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-017-0122-9

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