In these patients, addition of carvedilol has been shown to delay the progression of disease . Heart failure can be defined as a state in which an abnormality of cardiac function is responsible for failure of the heart to pump blood at a rate commensurate with the requirements of the metabolising tissues or, to do so only from an elevated filling pressure . It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Both prevalence and incidence rise with advancing age. Current treatment options Patients with heart failure require life-long treatment.
Pharmacological treatment aims to improve both patients' quality of life and survival.
5 Other treatment options include digoxin, oral nitrates, nitrates in combination with hydralazine, and long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers. More recently the role of beta-blockers in the management of heart failure has been recognised. Beta blockers and heart failure Traditionally beta-blockers were avoided in patients with heart failure due to their negative inotropic effects. However, there is now considerable clinical trial data to support the use of beta-blockers in patients with CHF resulting from left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Meta-analyses of these trials have been published.