Prescription patterns of pharmacological agents for left ventricular systolic dysfunction among hemodialysis patients.
BACKGROUND
Recommendations for the management of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in the general population and patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) include the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers. Limited data from the literature suggest that these pharmacological agents may be underused in patients with ESRD. The goal of this study is to describe the use of these medications and investigate barriers to their use in dialysis patients.


METHODS
We prospectively studied 420 hemodialysis patients. Diagnosis of systolic dysfunction was based on echocardiogram results. Use of cardiac medication was recorded for all patients with systolic dysfunction, and a questionnaire was administered to nephrologists to determine the basis for decisions concerning ACE-inhibitors and beta-blockers use/nonuse.


RESULTS
Forty-seven patients (11%) were found to have an LV ejection fraction of 40% or less. Of those, 72% were administered a beta-blocker and 36% were administered an ACE inhibitor. Only 12 patients (25.5%) were administered a combination of beta-blocker and ACE inhibitor. Reasons indicated by nephrologists for not prescribing these medications were "concern about adverse reactions (eg, hypotension, hyperkalemia)" in 88% of cases, "adequate control of symptoms with ultrafiltration" in 38%, "unproven benefit" in 25%, and "unfavorable risk-benefit ratio" in 17%. Medication costs and concern about patient compliance were not identified as significant concerns by physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
Only 25.5% of patients with ESRD with LV systolic dysfunction receive appropriate treatment. Concern regarding adverse reactions was the most frequent reason indicated by nephrologists for not prescribing ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers.
Roy
Patrick
P
Nephrology Division, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Bouchard
Josée
J
Amyot
Robert
R
Madore
François
F
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011792:Quebec; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors