| Popis: |
During the past years, several large trials (Consensus, VHEFT I and II, SOLVD) have shown a significant reduction of mortality in patients with moderate and severe heart failure. However, despite effective treatment with vasodilators, digitalis and diuretics mortality in these patients remains unacceptable high. It seems logic, to state treatment at an earlier stage of the disease to achieve more benefit. The main early pathophysiological disturbance is left ventricular hypertrophy, resulting from hypertension, coronary artery disease, increasing age and obesity. On the long run, LVH may lead to diastolic and systolic heart failure, myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias and sudden death. With ACE-inhibitors LVH can be reduced within 1 month of treatment. The large SAVE- and SOLVD-prevention trials will show, whether this early intervention will improve proposis in patients with asymptomatic heart failure. |
