Document Detail


Amiodarone rescue therapy for severe decompensated heart failure initially unsuitable for beta-blockers.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  14506543     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Beta-blocker therapy is now standard therapy for patients with stable heart failure; however, fluid-overloaded, New York Heart Association Class IV patients tolerate beta-blockers poorly. Amiodarone, a drug with antiadrenergic effects, has been shown to improve survival for patients with heart rates of 90 beats per minute or greater. METHODS: We reviewed 26 patients with severe decompensated heart failure who were started on oral amiodarone for heart rate control. beta-Blocker titration was attempted when patients became clinically stable. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 48.5 +/- 17.5 years, and 73% were male. Fifteen patients were New York Heart Association Class IV, and 11 were Class III. Of these, 23 (88%) were fluid-overloaded, and 11 (42%) were on inotropic agents when amiodarone was started. The mean ejection fraction was 16.1 +/- 6%. The initial dose of amiodarone was 346 +/- 120 mg/day. Twenty (77%) patients were successfully started on beta-blockers. At follow-up prior to beta-blockers, 20 (77%) patients improved by at least one New York Heart Association class. Heart rate decreased from a mean of 98 +/- 15 to 78 +/- 13 beats per minute (P <.0001). Echocardiograms were available in 12 patients, with ejection fractions increasing from 16.1 +/- 8% to 26.8 +/- 13% (P =.004). CONCLUSIONS: Amiodarone may be an effective rescue therapy for patients with decompensated heart failure and serve as a bridge to subsequent beta-blocker therapy.
Authors:
Daniel C Choo; Bonnie Huiskes; Jennifer Jones; Sharon Fabbri; Lee Ann Hawkins; Kanu Chatterjee; Theresa De Marco; J Thomas Heywood
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology and therapeutics     Volume:  8     ISSN:  1074-2484     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol. Ther.     Publication Date:  2003 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-09-24     Completed Date:  2003-12-02     Revised Date:  2007-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9602617     Medline TA:  J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  187-92     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Division of Cardiology, International Heart Institute, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California 92354, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / therapeutic use*
Adult
Aged
Amiodarone / therapeutic use*
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use*
Cohort Studies
Echocardiography
Heart Failure / drug therapy*,  physiopathology
Heart Rate
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Stroke Volume
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; 0/Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; 1951-25-3/Amiodarone
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Sep;8(3):175-8   [PMID:  14506541 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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