The role of endothelin receptor antagonists in the treatment of chronic heart failure.
A role of the potent and long-acting vasoconstrictor peptide endothelin-1 in the pathophysiology of chronic human heart failure has been postulated based on indirect evidence such as elevated plasma endothelin-1 levels, their correlation with the degree of hemodynamic impairment, and their predictive value for patient survival. The advent of specific of endothelin-1 receptor antagonists has provided the opportunity to directly evaluate its pathophysiologic role and assess its potential role as a new approach to heart failure therapy. This review summarizes the evidence linking endothelin-1 to the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure, and analyzes the clinical results obtained thus far in patients during acute intravenous, and more prolonged, oral administration of endothelin-1-receptor antagonists.
Kiowski
W
W
Division of Cardiology, University Hospital, Winterthuerstrasse 190, CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland. karkiw@.usz.unizh.ch
Sütsch
G
G
D002908:Chronic Disease; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin