Ivabradine SR improves heart function in patients with HFrEF

Once-daily treatment with sustained-release (SR) ivabradine hemisulfate, alongside optimum standard therapy, results in better heart function in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), reports a study.

A team of investigators, led by Dr Feiming Ye from the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China, examined the role of ivabradine hemisulfate SR, a novel long-acting formulation of ivabradine dosed once daily, in stable HFrEF patients.

A total of 360 patients with stabilized HFrEF in New York Heart Association functional class II-IV were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (n=181) or ivabradine SR (n=179) in addition to standard medications. The change in left ventricular (LV) end-systolic volume index from baseline to week 32 was the primary endpoint.

LV end-systolic volume index significantly improved at 32 weeks from baseline in both treatment arms but with a greater effect in the ivabradine SR group.

Patients treated with ivabradine SR also showed superiority in terms of improvement in LV end-diastolic volume index, LV ejection fraction, resting heart rate, the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score, and hospital admission for heart failure worsening and cardiovascular disease relative to placebo.

In addition, no between-group difference was noted in terms of adverse events. However, fewer occurrences of worsening heart failure were observed in the ivabradine SR arm.

“Ivabradine has potent actions in reducing heart rate and improving clinical outcomes of chronic HFrEF,” the investigators said. “At present, only the short-acting formulation of ivabradine is available that needs to be administered twice daily.”