Reports from the Field
Beta blocker reduces heart failure deaths
The beta blocking agent carvedilol reduces the risk of death or hospitalization due to heart failure by nearly a third in patients with advanced stages of the disease who were already taking an ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor, according to new data presented at the recent 73rd annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in New Orleans.
The Copernicus (Carvedilol Prospective Randomized Cumulative Survival) study was conducted in more than 300 medical centers in 21 countries and included more than 2,200 patients with advanced heart failure who had symptoms at rest or minimal exertion, but not requiring intensive care unit care or intravenous treatments to support their heart’s function. In the controlled trial, 50% of patients received carvedilol and 50% received placebo in addition to their current heart failure medications which included ACE inhibitors, diuretics, and digoxin. Patients were evaluated for an average of 10.5 months.
Findings include:
• Carvedilol decreased mortality by 35%.
• Carvedilol reduced all-cause mortality or heart failure hospitalizations by 31%.
• Carvedilol reduced all-cause mortality or cardiovascular hospitalizations by 27%.
• Carvedilol reduced all-cause mortality or hospitalizations for any reason by 24%.
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration, in 1997, carvedilol is manufactured under the brand name Coreg by SmithKline Beecham in Philadelphia and Roche Pharmaceuticals in Nutley, NJ.
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