Outcomes of Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Use for Heart Failure in the Elderly. Inclusive Dates: 08/01/08 - 01/31/11.

摘要

The purpose of this project is to examine the outcomes of treatment with angiotensin II receptor blockers in a national cohort of elderly patients with CHF. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are the recommended agents for all stages of CHF but in recent years the use of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) is increasing due to their better tolerability. ARBs have been proven for their clinical effectiveness in CHF in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) against placebo and ACEIs, but they have yet to be compared head to head in an RCT. With an assumption of therapeutic class effect, these agents are used interchangeably in routine clinical practice. However, ARBS are a heterogeneous class of non-peptide drugs that differ noticeably in their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.