This continuing feature will update readers on recent developments in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in the US, and more clinical outcome trials have been conducted in cardiology than in any other field of medicine. Given this rapidly expanding knowledge base, pharmacists can have a significant impact on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease—if they keep current with developments in drug therapy.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Heart Association.2001 Heart and Stroke Statistical Update.Dallas, TX: American Heart Association; 2000.
2.
Criteria Committee of the New York Heart Association.1994 Revisions to classification of functional capacity and objective assessment of patients with diseases of the heart. Circulation.1994;90: 644–45.
3.
KannelW.B.Need and prospects for prevention of cardiac failure. Eur J Clin Pharmacol.1996; 49: S3–S9.
4.
PianoM.R., BondmassM., SchwertzD.W.The molecular and cellular pathophysiology of heart failure. Heart Lung.1998; 27: 3–19.
5.
PackerM.B-adrenergic blockade in chronic heart failure: Principles, progress and practice. Prog Cardiovasc Dis.1998; 41(Suppl 1): 39–52.
6.
MetraM., NodariS., D'AloiaA.A rationale for the use of b-blockers as standard treatment for heart failure. Am Heart J.2000; 139: 511–21.
7.
PackerM., BristowM.R., CohnJ.N.The effect of carvedilol on morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med.1996; 334: 1349–55.
8.
CIBIS-II Investigators and Committees.The Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study II (CIBIS-II): A randomised trial. Lancet.1999; 353: 9–13.
9.
MERIT-HF Study Group.Effect of metoprolol CR/XL in chronic heart failure: Metoprolol CR/XL randomised intervention trial in congestive heart failure (MERIT-HF). Lancet.1999; 353: 2001–7.
10.
The Beta Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial Investigators.A trial of the beta blocker bucindolol in patients with advanced chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med.2001; 344: 1659–67.
11.
PackerM., CoatsA.J.S., FowlerM.B.Effect of carvedilol on survival in severe chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med.2001; 344: 1651–8.
12.
YancyC.W., FowlerM.B., ColucciW.S.Race and the response to adren-ergic blockade with carvedilol in patients with chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med.2001; 344: 1358–65.
ExnerD.V., DriesD.L., DomanskiM.J.Lesser response to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in black as compared with white patients with left ventricular dysfunction. N Engl J Med.2001; 344: 1351–7.
15.
HershbergerR.E., WynnJ.R., SundbergL.Mechanism of action of bucindolol in human ventricular myocardium. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol.1990; 15: 959–67.
16.
GoldsteinS., FagerbergB., Hjalmar-sonA.Metoprolol controlled release/extended release in patients with severe heart failure. J Am Coll Car-diol.2001; 38: 932–8.
17.
ErdmannE., LechatP., VerkenneP.Results from post-hoc analyses of the CIBIS II trial: Effect of bisoprolol in high-risk patient groups with chronic heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail.2001; 3: 469–79.
18.
WhorlowS.H., KrumH.Meta-analysis of effect of beta-blocker therapy on mortality in patients with New York Heart Association Class IV chronic congestive heart failure. Am J Cardiol.2000; 86: 886–9.
19.
HartS.M.Influence of beta-blockers on mortality in chronic heart failure. Ann Pharmacother.2000; 34: 1440–51.
20.
VanderhoffB.T., RuppelH.M.Carvedilol: The new role of beta blockers in congestive heart failure. Am Family Physician.1998; 58: 1627–34.
21.
HuntS.A., BakerD.W., ChinM.H.ACC/AHA guidelines for the evaluation and management of chronic heart failure in the adult: Executive summary. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Revise the 1995 Guidelines for the Evauation and Management of Heart Failure). J Am Coll Cardiol.2001; 38: 2101–13.