The CHARM program: study design leads to findings of clinical and public health importance

• In large-scale randomized trials and their meta-analyses, beta-adrenergic blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors provide statistically significant and clinically important additive mortality and morbidity benefits in the treatment of heart failure. The CHARM trials were designed to test whether the angiotensin-receptor blocker candesartan would provide statistically significant and clinically important additive mortality and morbidity benefits to patients with heart failure as an alternative or in addition to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. CHARM demonstrated that an angiotensin-receptor blocker at a proven dose is an effective and safe therapy as an alternative or in addition to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with heart failure, 55% of whom were receiving beta-adrenergic blockers. These benefits include reductions in cardiovascular mortality rate as well as in hospitalization for heart failure. Such patients have a 50% mortality rate at 5 years, and heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization for patients 65 years of age and older.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists

Aged

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers/*therapeutic use

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use

Benzimidazoles/*therapeutic use

Cardiac Output

Low/*drug therapy/mortality

Drug Therapy

Combination

Hospitalization

Humans

Meta-Analysis as Topic

Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Tetrazoles/*therapeutic use

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)