Overview of drugs for the treatment of heart failure

From this article you will learn: the general scheme of treatment of heart failure with medicines, what is the effect of drugs, the names of effective tablets and injections, practical recommendations for their use.

Contents of the article:

  • The general scheme of treatment of heart failure with
  • preparations. Names and types of
  • preparations. Features of cardiac glycoside treatment
  • . Application of diuretics
  • . ACE inhibitors.
  • . How to treat beta blockers.
  • . Calcium channel blockers.
  • . Application of nitrates.
  • . Metabolic drugs
  • . Practical tips for using medicines

The main principle on which the treatment of heart failure is based is that it is not a separate disease. This syndrome refers to the inability of the heart to pump blood through the vessels( inability to perform its function).It complicates all severe heart diseases.

Conservative medication( drugs, pills, injections) is the only effective way to help the patient. Cure heart failure without medication is impossible. But their illiterate reception is also not effective!

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The results of treatment of heart failure with medications depend on several factors:

  • The severity of the symptoms of this condition( the degree of heart failure) - the more severe they are, the harder it is to cure( at 1-2 degrees it is possible, at 3-4 -, improve the patient's condition, but complete cure is impossible).
  • From compliance with all treatment recommendations( continuous or systematic drug intake) - if you neglect them, even mild heart failure will inevitably become heavier.
  • It is impossible to get rid of heart failure from the underlying heart disease - if it is not treated, or it is difficult to cure.

A cardiologist or a therapist is responsible for the preparation of the curative program, the selection of medications and their dosage.

General scheme for the treatment of heart failure with

The restoration of impaired cardiac function takes place by influencing the basic mechanisms of disease initiation and the elimination of symptoms. The directions of treatment and the corresponding groups of drugs are described in the table.

Purpose and direction of treatment Groups and types of preparations
Improvement of strength and contractility of the heart muscle( myocardium) Cardiac glycoside
agents Reduction of the heart load in the contraction phase - relaxation of arterial vessels into which the heart ejects blood, elimination of resistance Drugs, dilating arteries: ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers
Reducing the load on the myocardium in the relaxation phase - relaxation of the venous vessels, from whichblood flow to the heart, elimination of excess blood pressure Drugs that dilate the veins and arteries: nitrate group, beta blockers
Elimination of edematous Diuretics medication
Normalization of metabolism, improved nutrition, microcirculation, myocardial repair Antioxidants, metabolic drugs, vitamins

Names and types of medications used

The most commonly used medications for the treatment of heart failure in view of the form of release are described in the tablee.

Group medicaments Names injectable forms( injections) Names forms for ingestion( tablets, capsules)
Cardiac glycosides Korglikon, Strophanthin, Digoxin Digoxin
ACE inhibitors Not used Lisinopril, enalapril, Berlipril, Enap, Perindopril, Prestarium
Diuretics Lasix, Furosemide, Trifas Lasix, Furosemide, Trifas, Indapamide, Hypothiazide, Veroshpiron
Combination of ACE inhibitors and diuretics Not released Berlipril plus Enap H Enalozid, Liprazid
Beta blockers Not used metoprolol, Inderal, bisoprolol, Nebilet, Konkor, Corioli
blockers of calcium channels Not used cordipin, Corinfar, Amlodak
Nitrates Nitro-mic, Nitroglycerin, Isotet Nitroglycerin, Isosorbide, Cardicet
Metabolic means Mildronate, Riboxin, Metamax, Tivomax Preductal, Tricuktan, Mildronate, Metamax
Vitamins, antioxidants Cocarboxylase, Btamines B1 and B6, Milgama, Asparcums Vitamin E, Omega-3, Asparcum, Milgam, Magne B6

Features of cardiac glycoside treatment

Cardiac glycosides

How do

  • improve the transport of sodium, calcium and potassium ions between cells;
  • slow down the accelerated heart rate;
  • increase the strength of the heart muscle.

Reception mode

  • Intravenous injection as injections or droppers - is indicated with a sharp deterioration of the patient's condition as a result of worsening of symptoms( severe shortness of breath, frequent pulse.)
  • Tablets intake - basic treatment of grade 3-4 disease The standard scheme assumes a 5-day use of digoxin witha two-day break.
  • Dosage regimen - a gradual build-up to create a drug depot in the body with a further transition to a maintenance dose.
  • Mild disease severity does not require the appointment of a gly

Side effects

  1. slowing of the heart rate;
  2. violation of potassium metabolism in the body;
  3. overdose and glycoside poisoning;
  4. general adverse reactions: headache, nausea, allergy( are rare).

Use of diuretics

Heart failure can not be cured without diuretics.

What effects cause diuretics

  • enhanced urine formation;
  • decrease in the volume of fluid in the vascular space, which reduces the burden on the heart;
  • reduction of edema as the main symptom of blood stasis in the vessels;

Recommendations for the use of diuretics

  • In severe edematous syndrome with decompensated heart failure of 3-4 degrees - intramuscular injections of strong diuretics in high doses( Trifas, Lasix, Furosemide) are used. As the edema decreases, the dose decreases, you can switch to tablets.
  • For moderate to mild edema, tablets are used( Lasix, Furosemide) twice a week, indapamide, Hypothiazide, Veroshpiron are taken daily or periodically every day.
  • All diuretics, except Veroshpirona and Spironolactone, remove potassium from the body. Therefore, taking them, take also potassium preparations( Panangin, Asparcum).

Main adverse symptoms

  1. violation of potassium exchange( decrease in quantity);
  2. dry mouth, headache;
  3. in overdose there is a risk of disruption of the structure and functioning of the kidneys.

ACE inhibitors

The full name of ACE inhibitors are angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.

ACE inhibitors

Main action

The main action is aimed at lowering the blood pressure level due to the relaxation of small vessels. It was found that with long-term administration( several months), they help restore the structure of the myocardium.

Features of application

  • Drink once a day( in the morning);
  • need to monitor blood pressure;
  • these drugs are very well combined with diuretics, therefore they are available as ready-made combination preparations;
  • the expressed medical effect comes not earlier, than in 2-3 months after the beginning of treatment.

Side effects of

Inhibitors of ACE 90-92% of patients suffer well even after taking them for years. Side-effects are rare( sudden decrease in pressure, dry cough, headache).

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers

Positive effect of beta-blockers on the heart

  • Block the exciting effect of adrenaline;
  • reduces heart rate;
  • dilates the arterial vessels, which reduces the resistance to the release of blood upon contraction;
  • accumulate blood in the veins due to their expansion, which reduces the burden on the heart during the relaxation phase;
  • helps myocardial cells contract synchronously, which increases the strength of each contraction.

Indications

Not all patients with heart failure require the appointment of beta-blockers. Main indications:

  • frequent pulse;
  • arrhythmia( ciliary, fibrillation, extrasystoles);
  • high blood pressure;
  • presence of ischemic disease.

The dose is selected gradually. If the drug is well tolerated, the minimum dose is either not changed( if the pulse has decreased and the pressure is normalized), or increased until effects are achieved. During the reception of beta-blockers, it is necessary to monitor the pulse and pressure. If these parameters decrease less than 60 beats per minute and 110-120 / 60 mm Hg. Art.- the dose is reduced by half or completely abolished the drug.

Side effects of

Adverse symptoms are mainly associated with overdose:

  1. general weakness;
  2. pain in the heart;
  3. lowering blood pressure;
  4. bradycardia( rare pulse);
  5. headache, dizziness;
  6. decrease in blood sugar( relevant for diabetics, especially when treating with insulin).
Side-effects from an overdose with beta blockers

Calcium channel blockers

Calcium channel blockers

Principle of action

Like beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers are not the main drugs for the treatment of heart failure. In general, their therapeutic effects are similar, although the mechanism of action is completely different. The difference is that calcium blockers do not reduce the frequency of cardiac contractions, but even can increase it. Therefore, it is advisable to appoint patients with: high pressure

  • ;
  • with normal or delayed heart rate( 60-90 beats / min and less);
  • for chronic ischemic disease without previous myocardial infarction.

Side effects of

This is a frequent heartbeat, a shivering of the body, redness of the face and a sense of tidal flow, a headache.

Application of nitrates

Nitrates

Mechanism of action

Nitrates in heart failure reduce the load during the relaxation phase of the myocardium. Their relaxing effect on the muscles of the venous and arterial vessels is the strongest of all other means.

Nitrates cause:

  • lowering blood pressure;
  • dilated coronary arteries( the main vessels of the heart);
  • improved delivery of blood to the myocardium;
  • reduction of stagnant phenomena in the vessels of the lungs;

They do not affect the heart rate.

Indications

Expediency in their appointment in heart failure:

  • 3-4 degree of heart failure;
  • prevalence of stagnation in the small circle of the circulation( in the lungs) - pronounced dyspnea, cyanotic face;
  • normal or high blood pressure;
  • the presence of any form of ischemic disease.

For the treatment of acute heart failure( pulmonary edema), you can use nitroglycerin preparations in the form of intravenous injections-droppers. In the future, it is advisable to switch to the reception of short-acting or prolonged( long-acting) tablets.

Major side effects of

This is a headache( relieved by Validol), a decrease in pressure.

Metabolic drugs

Metabolic drugs

Improvement of myocardial nutrition is an indispensable element in the treatment of any heart failure. The effect of metabolic drugs is higher at 1-2 degrees of the disease, and at 3-4 very weak. Their feature, as well as vitamins and antioxidants - a slow onset of therapeutic action - 2-3 months after the start of the intake.

Appropriate treatment scheme - the initial injection of injections and droppers to create a high concentration in the blood with the transition to taking a maintenance dose of tablets.

The main side effect is various manifestations of allergy( itching, rashes, redness, dyspnea).

Practical tips on the use of

medications To achieve the greatest possible positive effect in the treatment of heart failure, it is not enough just to know the names of the drugs. Be sure to consider all the subtleties that can affect the outcome of drug therapy( how pronounced are the symptoms, the features of the action and the individual tolerability of specific dosage forms).

General advice on medical treatment for all patients with heart failure is:

  1. Do not undergo treatment yourself. To appoint, select a dose, can cancel preparations only the profile expert - the doctor-cardiologist or the therapist.
  2. If you have been taking a certain drug, but intend to switch to another analog agent with an identical active ingredient and dose, consult your doctor.
  3. Inform the specialist of any changes that occur with you against the background of treatment( improvement, worsening, new symptoms, adverse reactions and their association with taking medications).
  4. Do not expect one type of pills to solve the problem. Adhere to the principle of an integrated approach to treatment - you need to take several drugs( one from each group in the direction of the action) at the same time or alternating them to affect all links in the progression of the disease.
  5. The duration of medication depends on the degree of heart failure. This can be a course of taking the whole complex of medicines for 2-3 months with a two to three-month break with compensated forms of illness( grade 1-2) or permanent treatment for cardiac decompensation( grade 3-4).
  6. Do not forget that heart failure is a complication. Be sure to treat the underlying heart disease( myocarditis, cardiosclerosis, ischemic disease, etc.).
  7. Be sure to follow dietary rules( salt elimination, fluid restriction) and dosed exercise regimen. This will increase the effectiveness of drugs, will reduce the dose and duration of admission.
  8. Injection medications( injections) act faster and stronger, but the effect is short-lived. Tablets cause a gradual and prolonged improvement in the condition of the heart.