Coversyl Demonstrates Clinical Benefits in Elderly Patients

Coversyl(R) in PEPCHF Trial, has been the first agent to demonstrate clinical benefits in elderly heart failure patients with diastolic dysfunction.

The drug appears to provide a number of clinical benefits to elderly people with chronic heart failure according to the results of a study of ACE inhibitor Coversyl(R) that was presented at the World Congress of Cardiology today. The study revealed that Coversyl improved symptoms and exercise capacity among such patients and led to fewer (perindopril)hospitalizations for heart failure in the first year of treatment.

Although there was insufficient statistical power to show a long-term reduction in morbidity and mortality, lead study investigator Professor John Cleland, from the Department of Cardiology, University of Hull, UK points out, ‘The results suggest that perindopril treatment is of benefit in this elderly population. This is a clinically important study as the prevalence of heart failure increases substantially with age. No other agent has been shown to be effective in relieving symptoms, improving functional capacity or reducing morbidity in older patients with heart failure and diastolic dysfunction.'

An estimate of the prevalence of symptomatic heart failure in the general European population range shows an increased prevalence of heart failure with age. In addition it was found that chronic heart failure may be associated with diastolic dysfunction which is an inability to fill the ventricle of the heart to its normal volume. Diastolic dysfunction is mostly associated with older age, hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation and diabetes. Diastolic heart failure patients are generally found to be elderly, more often women, commonly hypertensive but less likely to have a history of myocardial infarction.

The study involved 850 patients of 70 years or older. The objective of the study was to compare the effects of Coversyl and placebo on morbidity and mortality in older patients withclinical evidence of heart failure secondary to left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Coversyl initiation was well tolerated among this elderly population. In the span of one year, 65 patients assigned to placebo and 46 assigned to Coversyl experienced a primary outcome event. By the end of follow-up, although there was no statistical significance between the two groups, nearly half of these elderly patients had stopped their study medication (placebo or Coversyl) and most of whom went on to receive open label ACE inhibitors. It was found that in spite of the high rate of cross-over, patients assigned to Coversyl spent about 5 fewer days in hospital for any reason and 3 fewer for cardiovascular reasons.

Coversyl initiation was well tolerated among this elderly population. In the span of one year, 65 patients assigned to placebo and 46 assigned to Coversyl experienced a primary outcome event. By the end of follow-up, although there was no statistical significance between the two groups, nearly half of these elderly patients had stopped their study medication (placebo or Coversyl) and most of whom went on to receive open label ACE inhibitors. It was found that in spite of the high rate of cross-over, patients assigned to Coversyl spent about 5 fewer days in hospital for any reason and 3 fewer for cardiovascular reasons.

In one year, patients who received active treatment were found to be more likely to have improved New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (p<0.03). Besides this it was found that patients who were given Coversyl had a greater increase in 6-minute corridor walk distance at one year. This trial showed that a treatment, Coversyl, can improve symptoms and functional capacity in patients with diastolic heart failure.

Coversyl is the first agent to demonstrate clinical benefits in such a population.

Source-Medindia
NLA