title: The clinical effects of vasopressin receptor antagonists in heart failure.
abstract: The neurohormone arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a promising target in the treatment of heart failure because AVP promotes congestion and hyponatremia, each of which is associated with poor outcomes. Diuretics are standard therapy for heart failure, but they have several limitations, including worsening renal function and hyponatremia. Blocking AVP leads to effective aquaresis, improvements in hemodynamics and renal function parameters, weight loss, and normalization of serum sodium, without changes in blood pressure or heart rate. In placebo-controlled trials in the inpatient and outpatient setting, the AVP receptor antagonist tolvaptan reduced body weight and edema and normalized serum sodium in patients with heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Divison of Cardiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. m-gheorghiade@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Mihai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gheorghiade
mesh_terms: D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000187:drug effects*; D015415:Biomarkers; D018450:Disease Progression; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia; D011379:Prognosis; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; D015415:Biomarkers; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin