Murray D R, Dugan J
Department of Medicine/Cardiology (MC 7872), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA.
Cardiol Rev. 2000 Nov-Dec;8(6):340-7. doi: 10.1097/00045415-200008060-00007.
Heart failure develops as a consequence of cardiac injury. As the heart begins to fail to meet the body's metabolic demands, the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) and the sympathetic nervous system are activated. These interrelated systems act in concert to facilitate cardiac output and tissue perfusion. Though these neurohormonal systems are initially compensatory, evidence suggests that they promote deleterious cardiac remodeling and myocyte destruction. Recent studies in patients with heart failure have targeted the RAAS and sympathetic nervous system for therapeutic intervention. This article reviews major recent multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trials in heart failure that have resulted in a new standard of care for patients with this devastating disease.
