Carvedilol Among Patients With Heart Failure With a Cocaine-Use Disorder.

Link to article at PubMed

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Carvedilol Among Patients With Heart Failure With a Cocaine-Use Disorder.

JACC Heart Fail. 2019 Sep;7(9):771-778

Authors: Banerji D, Alvi RM, Afshar M, Tariq N, Rokicki A, Mulligan CP, Zhang L, Hassan MO, Awadalla M, Groarke JD, Neilan TG

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess the safety of carvedilol therapy among heart failure (HF) patients with a cocaine-use disorder (CUD).
BACKGROUND: Although carvedilol therapy is recommended among certain patients with HF, the safety and efficacy of carvedilol among HF patients with a CUD is unknown.
METHODS: This was a single-center study of hospitalized patients with HF. Cocaine use was self-reported or defined as having a positive urine toxicology. Patients were divided by carvedilol prescription. Subgroup analyses were performed by strata of ejection fraction (EF) ≤40%, 41% to 49%, or ≥50%. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as cardiovascular mortality and 30-day HF readmission.
RESULTS: From a cohort of 2,578 patients hospitalized with HF in 2011, 503 patients with a CUD were identified, among whom 404 (80%) were prescribed carvedilol, and 99 (20%) were not. Both groups had similar characteristics; however, those prescribed carvedilol had a lower LVEF, heart rate, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations at admission and on discharge, and more coronary artery disease. Over a median follow-up of 19 months, there were 169 MACEs. The MACE rates were similar between the carvedilol and the non-carvedilol groups (32% vs. 38%, respectively; p = 0.16) and between those with a preserved EF (30% vs. 33%, respectively; p = 0.48) and were lower in patients with a reduced EF taking carvedilol (34% vs. 58%, respectively; p = 0.02). In a multivariate model, carvedilol therapy was associated with lower MACE among patients with HF with a CUD (hazard ratio: 0.67; 95% confidence interval; 0.481 to 0.863).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that carvedilol therapy is safe for patients with HF with a CUD and may be effective among those with a reduced EF.

PMID: 31466673 [PubMed - in process]

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