title: Clinical trials update from the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure meeting: COMET, COMPANION, Tezosentan and SHAPE.
abstract: This article continues a series of reports on recent research developments in the field of heart failure. Key presentations made at the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Update meeting, held in Strasbourg, France are described. The COMET study showed a 17% relative risk reduction in all-cause mortality with carvedilol compared with metoprolol tartrate. The COMPANION study, as previously reported, showed encouraging results for the use of cardiac resynchronisation and implantable defibrillator therapy in patients with heart failure, but further evidence is awaited. The results of a study on tezosentan suggest that lower doses of this endothelin antagonist may be clinically more effective with fewer adverse effects compared with higher doses. The SHAPE survey of heart failure awareness in Europe identified a need for further heart failure education amongst the public, patients, their carers and primary care physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Hull, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, HU15 5JQ, Kingston-upon-Hull, UK. a.p.coletta@hull.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alison P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Coletta
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Anne Marie L
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seymour
authors.forename: John G F
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cleland
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D000077261:Carvedilol; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D006266:Health Education; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D011725:Pyridines; D013777:Tetrazoles; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000077261:Carvedilol; C120582:tezosentan; D008790:Metoprolol