[Clinical study of the month. Effects of valsartan in chronic heart failure: the VAL-HeFT study]

Abstract

Current guidelines recommend drugs which reduce neurohormonal activation as standard therapy for heart failure: angiotensin converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers and spironolactone. The Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT) tested the efficacy of the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan in addition to prescribed therapy. A total of 5010 patients with heart failure of NYHA class II, III or IV were randomly assigned to receive 160 mg of valsartan or placebo twice daily. Further angiotensin antagonism by valsartan did not improve survival but was beneficial in terms of morbidity and mortality, because of reduced rate of hospitalization, significant improvements in NYHA class, ejection fraction, signs and symptoms of heart failure, and quality of life. Valsartan had highly favourable effects in patients not receiving ACE inhibitors but an adverse effect in patients receiving both ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers. The effects of adding valsartan are depending on the importance of previous neurohormonal inhibition.