Premium
Update of clinical trials from the American College of Cardiology 2003. EPHESUS, SPORTIF‐III, ASCOT, COMPANION, UK‐PACE and T‐wave alternans
Author(s) -
Cleland John G.F.,
Coletta Alison P.,
Nikitin Nikolay,
Louis Amala,
Clark Andrew
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1016/s1388-9842(03)00057-6
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , heart failure , pace , clinical trial , population , intensive care medicine , clinical practice , t wave alternans , sudden cardiac death , physical therapy , environmental health , geodesy , geography
The American College of Cardiology provided much useful new information to inform those who care for patients with heart failure about what they should and should not adopt into current clinical practice. The EPHESUS trial suggests a much wider role for aldosterone antagonists for the management of heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. SPORTIF‐III indicates we may have a safer, simpler warfarin substitute soon. ASCOT reinforces the potential futility of statin therapy unless it is well targeted. The results of the COMPANION study investigating cardiac resynchronisation devices and implantable defibrillators were encouraging but inconclusive and/or hard to interpret. UK‐PACE again questions the use of dual chamber pacing. T‐wave alternans is an interesting experimental technique that may be useful in selecting which patients need an implantable defibrillator, although the technology needs testing in an appropriate patient population.