title: Efficacy and safety of a modified dosage regimen of nesiritide in patients older than 75 years with acute heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore efficacy and safety of a modified dosage regimen of nesiritide in patients (≥75 years) with acute heart failure (AHF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Total 140 patients (≥75 years) with AHF were enrolled in this study. They were randomly and evenly divided into two group--control and nesiritide group. The control group received only conventional treatment for AHF, while the nesiritide group received conventional treatment plus a continual intravenous infusion of nesiritide at a rate of 0.0075-0.015 μg·kg(-1)·min(-1) for 10-15 hours (total 0.5- 1.0 mg) once daily for 13 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical research council scales in nesiritide group were significantly lower than those in control group on day 4, 8 and 14. Scores of edema had no significant difference, but were lower in nesiritide group on day 8 and 14. The nesiritide group had markedly more net body fluid losses. NT-proBNP, serum creatinine, blood pressure, cTnI, 30-day and 60-day mortality had no significant difference between two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nesiritide resulted in improvements in dyspnea and edema, and similar adverse effects compared with conventional treatment. In spite of no reduction on short-term mortality and a reversible influence on renal function, nesiritide was still an important choice for the elderly (≥75 years) with AHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shihui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Shuangyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yongyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Leiming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D045283:Natriuretic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D045283:Natriuretic Agents; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain