Conivaptan: a selective vasopressin antagonist for the treatment of heart failure.
Heart failure commonly manifests as a syndrome of salt and water retention. Arginine vasopressin plays an important role in volume homeostasis and may contribute to this syndrome seen in heart failure patients. Recently, a number of agents have been developed that antagonize the effects of vasopressin. Conivaptan, which is a dual antagonist of the V1a and V2 receptor, has shown promise in animal studies and in small scale human trials as a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of acute and chronic heart failure. Further large studies are being conducted, which may confirm the benefits of conivaptan and other vasopressin antagonists in heart failure patients.
Schwarz
Ernst R
ER
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine, Galveston, TX 77555-0553, USA. erschwarz@utmb.edu
Sanghi
Pramod
P
D000818:Animals; D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism
D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; D001552:Benzazepines; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; C106389:conivaptan; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin