Effects of aldosterone blockade on left ventricular function and clinical status during acute myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Heart failure is frequently a serious complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers and aldosterone receptor blockers have been shown to improve outcomes in this setting. This study aimed to determine the effect of spironolactone on the frequency of clinical heart failure, mortality, rehospitalization and left ventricular functions determined by echocardiography.


METHODS
A total of 82 patients with STEMI hospitalized within 6-12 h of debut of symptoms were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned into spironolactone (group A) or placebo (group B) groups after informed consent had been obtained.


RESULTS
All patients were followed for 6 months. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups when demographic criteria were compared. The incidence of post-MI angina pectoris, rhythm and conduction disturbance during hospitalization was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A. Although not statistically significant, the incidence of clinical heart failure was slightly lower in Group A than in Group B (5% versus 11%). Left ventricular end-diastolic volumes were slightly lower in Group A than in Group B, although statistically this was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
In concordance with these findings, the ejection fraction was slightly higher in Group A than in Group B, although this was not statistically significant (47% versus 44%). This trend continued during a 6-month follow-up after randomization. Our findings suggest that early administration of aldosterone blockers provides additional benefits after AMI, reducing the incidence of post-MI angina pectoris and rhythm and conduction disturbances.
Department of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. isil.uzunhasan@gmail.com
Isil
I
Uzunhasan
Ahmet
A
Yildiz
Ugur
U
Coskun
Muhsin
M
Kalyoncuoglu
Murat
M
Baskurt
Mehmet Akif
MA
Cakar
Aysem
A
Kaya
Seckin
S
Pehlivanoglu
Rasim
R
Enar
Baris
B
Okcun
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*
D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D013148:Spironolactone