Survey of the use of organic nitrates for the treatment of chronic congestive heart failure in the United States.

A survey of members of the Heart Failure Society of America revealed that despite their lack of approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration, nitrates are widely used in patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF). Most members reported using nitrates in patients with ischemic (90%) and nonischemic (81%) causes of chronic CHF, especially those with symptomatic CHF (43% reported using nitrates in >50% of their patients with ischemic and 25% with nonischemic causes). Ninety-six percent reported using nitrates to reduce symptoms, 74% for hemodynamic improvement, 65% for better exercise tolerance, and only 14% for left ventricular reversed remodeling. Nitrates were always combined with hydralazine in 25% of patients and occasionally combined with hydralazine in 67%.