title: Reasons for underuse of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction.
abstract: We reviewed the records of 242 patients admitted over 1 year with heart failure and an ejection fraction < or = 45% to assess the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Most patients were treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. However, an important minority (8%) had no apparent reason for the lack of this treatment, highlighting the need for strategies to increase the use of these beneficial agents.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bart
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Gattis
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Diem
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000075202:Contraindications; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors