Importantly, one analysis1 found that New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class improved in a broad spectrum of CHF patients treated with Atacand. Of all CHARM patients, 35.4% taking Atacand improved in NYHA functional class, 55.6% remained unchanged and 9% worsened. This compared with 32.5%, 57.5% and 10.3% respectively in the placebo group (p=0.004). These findings were supported by a favourable change in the Overall Treatment Evaluation in the Atacand group compared to the placebo group (p=0.01).
Commenting on this additional analysis, Professor John McMurray, principal investigator in the CHARM-Added study, Glasgow University and Western Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland, said "Improving symptomatic well-being is a key objective of heart failure treatment. NYHA functional classification is the most widely used and validated measure of symptomatic limitation in CHF. That candesartan has been shown to improve NYHA functional class across the broad spectrum of CHF investigated in the CHARM Programme will have significant implications for clinical practice. These findings are consistent with a reduction in CHF hospitalisations".
A further analysis suggests that the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) in some patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure may also be reduced. Of the 7,601 heart failure patients in CHARM, 72.6% did not have atrial fibrillation (AF) at baseline. This new analysis found that, in the patients randomised to Atacand, new incidence of AF during the trial was 6.5%, compared to 7.9% in the place
'"/>
Contact: Mark Chamberlain
mark.chamberlain@ketchum.com
44-207-611-3649
Ketchum
9-Mar-2004