title: Targeted biological therapies reach the heart: the case of serelaxin for heart failure.
abstract: Acute heart failure (AHF) is one of the most important causes of mortality, morbidity and rising healthcare costs. Despite this, there has been minimal advancement in the management of AHF and the treatment continues to focus on symptomatic improvement using vasodilators, diuretics and inotropes, none of which have shown any mortality benefits. Though originally thought of as a reproductive hormone, relaxin is now recognized as a potent vasodilator that modulates systemic and renal vascular tone, resulting in pre- and after-load reduction and a decrease in cardiac workload. A single intravenous infusion of relaxin over 48 hours has been shown to provide significant dyspnea relief among AHF patients, with an ongoing study to evaluate its potential for mortality benefit. This article provides an insight into the pharmacology of this novel therapy for AHF with an eye towards future clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Ayaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA. plevy@med.wayne.edu.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012065:Relaxin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C577649:serelaxin protein, human; D012065:Relaxin
keywords: Acute heart failure; Relaxin; Serelaxin; Vasodilation