TY - JOUR
T1 - New insights into mechanisms of action of carvedilol treatment in chronic heart failure patients - A matter of time for contractility
AU - Bozkurt, Biykem
AU - Bolos, Mariana
AU - Deswal, Anita
AU - Ather, Sameer
AU - Chan, Wenyaw
AU - Mann, Douglas L.
AU - Carabello, Blase
PY - 2012/3
Y1 - 2012/3
N2 - Background: It is unclear whether improvement in left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) following treatment with a combined α 1,β 1,β 2-blockade can be attributed to improvement in LV contractility, to a reduction in afterload, and/or to improvements in LV remodeling and chamber size. We aimed to examine whether the observed improvement in LVEF following carvedilol treatment is due to changes in intrinsic myocardial contractility beyond changes in LV chamber size or loading conditions. Methods and Results: In 49 consecutive patients with chronic heart failure (HF), LVEF ≤35%, NYHA functional class II-IV, on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors but not on ß-blockers, LV contractile performance and remodeling were assessed by comprehensive echocardiography at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of treatment with carvedilol. Carvedilol treatment resulted in significant improvements in LVEF, shortening fraction, and velocity of circumferential shortening (VCF c). There were no significant changes in the mean arterial blood pressure or systemic vascular resistance index; but LV end-systolic wall stress (LVESS), effective arterial elastance, ventriculoarterial coupling, and LV end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions and volumes were significantly reduced. Estimated end-systolic elastance, VCF c-to-LVESS ratio, and pulsatile arterial compliance significantly improved after 6 months of treatment with carvedilol. The slope of the VCF c relationship to LVESS worsened from 0 to 3 months, but significantly improved from 3 to 6 months. Conclusions: Despite an initial transient negative inotropic effect from 0 to 3 months, carvedilol treatment was associated with a positive inotropic effect with significant improvement in load-independent indexes of myocardial contractility beyond what can be attributed to changes in LV chamber size and load after 3 months. There were no changes in systemic vascular resistance with carvedilol treatment; however, improvement in pulsatile arterial compliance and ventriculoarterial coupling suggested enhanced cardiac mechanoenergetic performance along with improved systemic arterial compliance.
AB - Background: It is unclear whether improvement in left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) following treatment with a combined α 1,β 1,β 2-blockade can be attributed to improvement in LV contractility, to a reduction in afterload, and/or to improvements in LV remodeling and chamber size. We aimed to examine whether the observed improvement in LVEF following carvedilol treatment is due to changes in intrinsic myocardial contractility beyond changes in LV chamber size or loading conditions. Methods and Results: In 49 consecutive patients with chronic heart failure (HF), LVEF ≤35%, NYHA functional class II-IV, on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors but not on ß-blockers, LV contractile performance and remodeling were assessed by comprehensive echocardiography at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of treatment with carvedilol. Carvedilol treatment resulted in significant improvements in LVEF, shortening fraction, and velocity of circumferential shortening (VCF c). There were no significant changes in the mean arterial blood pressure or systemic vascular resistance index; but LV end-systolic wall stress (LVESS), effective arterial elastance, ventriculoarterial coupling, and LV end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions and volumes were significantly reduced. Estimated end-systolic elastance, VCF c-to-LVESS ratio, and pulsatile arterial compliance significantly improved after 6 months of treatment with carvedilol. The slope of the VCF c relationship to LVESS worsened from 0 to 3 months, but significantly improved from 3 to 6 months. Conclusions: Despite an initial transient negative inotropic effect from 0 to 3 months, carvedilol treatment was associated with a positive inotropic effect with significant improvement in load-independent indexes of myocardial contractility beyond what can be attributed to changes in LV chamber size and load after 3 months. There were no changes in systemic vascular resistance with carvedilol treatment; however, improvement in pulsatile arterial compliance and ventriculoarterial coupling suggested enhanced cardiac mechanoenergetic performance along with improved systemic arterial compliance.
KW - Heart failure
KW - beta-blocker
KW - contractility
KW - load
KW - remodeling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84857924571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cardfail.2011.11.004
DO - 10.1016/j.cardfail.2011.11.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 22385938
AN - SCOPUS:84857924571
SN - 1071-9164
VL - 18
SP - 183
EP - 193
JO - Journal of cardiac failure
JF - Journal of cardiac failure
IS - 3
ER -