title: Eplerenone : a review of its use in left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure after acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: Eplerenone (Inspra) is a selective aldosterone blocker. Oral eplerenone is approved for use in patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and clinical evidence of heart failure following acute myocardial infarction (MI) in the US and in European countries (e.g. the UK and The Netherlands). The addition of eplerenone to standard medical therapy significantly improved mortality and morbidity in patients with LV systolic dysfunction and clinical evidence of heart failure following acute MI in the large, well designed EPHESUS (Eplerenone Post-acute myocardial infarction Heart failure Efficacy and SUrvival Study) trial. The beneficial effects of eplerenone on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were seen within 30 days of randomisation. Eplerenone was generally well tolerated. Although a higher incidence of hyperkalaemia occurred with eplerenone than with placebo, the incidence of hypokalaemia was significantly lower with eplerenone treatment. Thus, the addition of eplerenone to standard medical therapy is an important new strategy for further improving mortality and morbidity in post-MI patients with LV systolic dysfunction and heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Adis International Limited, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz
authors.forename: Gillian M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Keating
authors.forename: Greg L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Plosker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D000077545:Eplerenone; D006207:Half-Life; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D051381:Rats; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D013148:Spironolactone; D000077545:Eplerenone