title: New medical therapies for advanced left ventricular dysfunction.
abstract: The analysis of currently used therapeutic targets provides considerable input in the choice of current and future therapies for dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. Of the ion flux agents, a definitive answer concerning digoxin will soon be available. Currently, digoxin is likely of benefit to patients with persistent heart failure and significantly enlarged hearts despite therapy with preload and afterload reducing agents. Most currently available calcium channel blocking agents do not appear to be effective, although newer agents such as amlodipine and felodipine have yet to be adequately tested. Vesnarinone, which operates through the sodium and potassium rectifying channels and has limited phosphodiesterase inhibition, appears to provide a significant improvement in mortality and in symptoms. Part of the latter effect may be due to its anticytokine properties, which are currently being investigated. Analysis of vascular endothelial agents indicate that not all of the vasoactive agents improve survival, as demonstrated with prazosin and flosequinan. The dose of agents may be important, again demonstrating that less is better. Finally, those with additional effects, such as inositol triphosphate stimulation, may offer additional unique properties that may, in the future, provide benefit. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors are potentially beneficial in the short term but clearly should be avoided for long-term use. Lower doses of these agents are now being investigated, but the weight of evidence is against agents that operate primarily through phosphodiesterase inhibition. Renin angiotensin agents are the most efficacious of therapies available at this time. New angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are likely to add little to what is already known.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baughman
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents