title: Heart failure drugs: what's new?
abstract: Heart failure is common, causes major disability and often shortens life. In the past, drugs such as diuretics and digoxin formed the mainstay of treatment. More recently, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have become a standard part of management. New developments in the drug treatment of heart failure include the possible addition of beta-blockers or spironolactone to diuretic and ACE inhibitor therapy. Also, angiotensin-II receptor antagonists have been proposed both as an alternative and as additional therapy to ACE inhibitors. Here, we discuss the place of these new approaches in the treatment of patients with heart failure due to left ventricular dysfunction.
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D004232:Diuretics; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D000804:Angiotensin II; D013148:Spironolactone