Abstract 8406: The Addition of Direct Renin Inhibitor Aliskiren to Standard Therapy Suppresses Enhanced Cardiac Sympathetic Activity in Patients with Systolic Heart Failure

TL;DRAbstract

Introduction: Aliskiren, direct rennin inhibitor, decreases plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the effect of aliskiren on cardiac sympathetic nerve function is unclear. Hypothesis and Objectives: We examined the effects of aliskiren on neurohormonal function when added to standard therapy in patients with systolic HF, under the hypothesis that aliskiren therapy would affect sympathetic nerve function. Methods: We enrolled 34 patients with HF due to systolic dysfunction (LVEF of <45%), receiving standard therapy including an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker and a beta-blocker. We randomly assigned 17 patients to receive additional aliskiren treatment 150 mg/d (aliskiren group), while 17 patients continued standard therapy (control group). All patients underwent neurohormonal measurements and planar 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) imaging. In the MIBG images, the heart/mediasti

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