European journal of heart failure
-
Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Dec 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialMorphine for the relief of breathlessness in patients with chronic heart failure--a pilot study.
Chronic heart failure (CHF) patients can experience significant breathlessness despite maximum medication for their heart failure. Morphine has long been used to relieve symptoms in acute failure, but there is little evidence about this potentially useful palliative therapy in CHF. ⋯ Morphine relieves breathlessness due to CHF. A larger study is indicated.
-
Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Dec 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialEffect of nebivolol on left ventricular function in patients with chronic heart failure: a pilot study.
Sympathetic activity is a significant predictor of a poor prognosis in heart failure. Beta-blockers have been shown to improve the prognosis of patients with heart failure. ⋯ These data indicate that nebivolol might improve cardiac function in patients with reduced left ventricular function.
-
Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Dec 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialBaseline demographics of the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial. Val-HeFT Investigators.
The Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT) is the first large-scale randomized, multinational clinical study to assess the efficacy and safety of valsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, added to conventional therapy, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, in heart failure patients. A total of 5010 patients with an ejection fraction <40% have been randomized to either valsartan titrated to 160 mg b.i.d. or to placebo. ⋯ Overall the Val-HeFT population is generally representative of the population of patients with mild to moderate heart failure in industrialized countries.
-
Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Dec 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEffect of beta 1 blockade with atenolol on progression of heart failure in patients pretreated with high-dose enalapril.
The survival benefit of beta-blocker treatment in patients with heart failure has been established in recent trials. Yet, the impact of beta-blockers added on high dose angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors has not been reported. ⋯ The data suggest that in patients with advanced left ventricular dysfunction, beta-blockers can provide substantial benefits supplementary to that already achieved with high dose enalapril treatment.
-
Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Sep 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialEffects of high-dose furosemide and small-volume hypertonic saline solution infusion in comparison with a high dose of furosemide as a bolus, in refractory congestive heart failure.
Diuretics, have been accepted as first-line treatment in refractory heart failure, but a lack of response is a frequent event. A randomised single blind study was performed to evaluate the effects of the combination of high-dose furosemide and small-volume hypertonic saline solution (HSS) infusion in the treatment of refractory NYHA class IV congestive heart failure (CHF). ⋯ Our data suggest that the combination of furosemide with HSS is feasible and it appears that this combination produces an improvement of hemodynamic and clinical parameters, reduces the hospitalization time and maintains the obtained results over time in comparison with those receiving high-dose furosemide as bolus.