Congestive heart failure vasodilators

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Acute Pharmacotherapy
Chronic Pharmacotherapy in HFpEF
Chronic Pharmacotherapy in HFrEF Diuretics ACE Inhibitors Angiotensin receptor blockers Aldosterone Antagonists Beta Blockers Ca Channel Blockers Nitrates Hydralazine Positive Inotropics Anticoagulants Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitor Antiarrhythmic Drugs Nutritional Supplements Hormonal Therapies Drugs to Avoid Drug Interactions Treatment of underlying causes Associated conditions
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Surgical Therapy: Biventricular Pacing or Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) Implantation of Intracardiac Defibrillator Ultrafiltration Cardiac Surgery Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) Cardiac Transplantation
ACC/AHA Guideline Recommendations Initial and Serial Evaluation of the HF Patient Hospitalized Patient Patients With a Prior MI Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention Surgical/Percutaneous/Transcather Interventional Treatments of HF Patients at high risk for developing heart failure (Stage A) Patients with cardiac structural abnormalities or remodeling who have not developed heart failure symptoms (Stage B) Patients with current or prior symptoms of heart failure (Stage C) Patients with refractory end-stage heart failure (Stage D) Coordinating Care for Patients With Chronic HF Quality Metrics/Performance Measures
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Congestive heart failure end-of-life considerations
Specific Groups: Special Populations Patients who have concomitant disorders Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Patient with CHF NSTEMI with Heart Failure and Cardiogenic Shock
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S. [2]

Overview

Nitrates reduce both preload and afterload in the setting of congestive heart failure and thereby relieve symptoms.

Vasodialators

Background

• A nitrate may be added to ACE inhibitors to relieve symptoms of pulmonary edema
• The addition of a nitrate to an ACE inhibitor may improve exercised tolerance.
• The combination of hydralazine and nitrates is useful in patients with advanced heart failure and in particularly, when ACE inhibitors are not well tolerated.
• Hydralazine by itself is only an arterial vasodilator and does not reduce left ventricular filling pressures to the same extent as nitrates and ACE inhibitors do. In fact when used alone it can stimulate sympathetic tone reflexively. The combination of hydralazine and nitrates has been shown to decrease mortality as well as improve the left ventricular ejection fraction and exercise capacity in patients with heart failure. However the combination of hydralazine and nitrates has been found to be less effective than ACE inhibitors.
• The major of use of this combination is in those patients who are intolerant of ACE inhibitors.

2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Focused Update of the 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure

Class III (No Benefit)

1. Routine use of nitrates or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors to increase activity or QoL in patients with HFpEF is ineffective. (Class III, Level of Evidence: B-R)

Vote on and Suggest Revisions to the Current Guidelines

• The CHF Living Guidelines: Vote on current recommendations and suggest revisions to the guidelines

External Links

• The ACC/AHA 2005 Guideline Update for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult

• 2009 focused update: ACCF/AHA Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure in Adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines: developed in collaboration with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation