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Clin. Cardiol. 24, 757–766 (2001)
William L. Lombardi, M.D., and Edward M. Gilbert, M.D.
Division of Cardiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Summary: Patients with chronic heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction of ischemic or nonischemic etiology have shown improvement in morbidity and mortality with carvedilol therapy. In patients with symptomatic (New York Heart Association class II–IV) heart failure, carvedilol improves left ventricular ejection fraction and clinical status, and slows disease progression, reducing the combined risk of mortality and hospitalization. Despite the overwhelming evidence for their benefit, there continues to be a large treatment gap between those who would derive benefit and those who actually receive the drug. In this article, the pharmacology, clinical trial evidence, and the potential differences between carvedilol and other beta blockers are discussed. Carvedilol provides powerful therapy in the treatment of chronic heart failure caused by a variety of etiologies and in a wide array of clinical settings.
Key words: heart failure, beta-adrenergic antagonist, carvedilol, cardiomyopathy
Address for reprints:
Edward M. Gilbert, M.D.
4A-100 UUHSC
50 N Medical Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
e-mail: edward.gilbert@hsc.utah.edu
Received: June 9, 2000
Accepted with revision: August 15, 2000
Updated: March 29, 2001