[Benefits of candesartan in the treatment of symptomatic heart failure--CHARM programme].
The CHARM programme, which recruited 7,601 patients, compared the angiotensin-receptor blocker, candesartan, with a placebo in three different populations with class II-VI heart failure. Candesartan reduced cardiovascular mortality and/or hospitalization for heart failure in patients with heart failure and ejection fractions of greater than 40% or less, and total mortality was reduced in these patients as well. Similar benefits were seen whether or not background therapy with ACE inhibitors, beta blockers', or spironolactone was used. Pooled analysis of the three studies showed that candesartan provided a significant reduction in cardiovascular death and also demonstrated a positive trend in the overall reduction in all cause mortality. The major adverse effects were hyperkalemia, increase in creatinine concentration and hypotension.
Umemoto
Seiji
S
Pharmaceutical Clinical Research Center, Yamaguchi University Hospital.
Matsuzaki
Masunori
M
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D013777:Tetrazoles; C081643:candesartan