Improvement in exercise tolerance and symptoms of congestive heart failure during treatment with candesartan cilexetil

Abstract

Background - The renin-angiotensin system plays an important part in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure (CHF). This study evaluated the effect of an angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist on exercise tolerance and symptoms of CHF. Methods and Results- In this multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group study, 844 patients with CHF were randomized to 12 weeks' treatment with placebo (n=211) or candesartan cilexetil 4 mg (n=208), 8 mg (n =212), or 16 mg (n=213) after a 4-week placebo run-in period. Changes in exercise time, Dyspnea Fatigue Index score, NYHA functional class, and cardiothoracic ratio were determined. Candesartan cilexetil produced a dose- related improvement in exercise time. For the intention-to-treat population, the increase produced by candesartan cilexetil 16 mg was significantly greater than that produced by placebo (47.2 versus 30.8 seconds, P=0.0463). All doses of candesartan cilexetil significantly improved the Dyspnea Fatigue Index score relative to placebo. NYHA class improved more frequently in the candesartan cilexetil groups; the differences relative to placebo were not significant. The decrease in cardiothoracic ratio with candesartan 4 to 16 mg was small but statistically significant compared with placebo (all P<0.05). In all candesartan cilexetil groups, plasma renin activity and angiotensin II levels increased from baseline and aldosterone levels decreased in the 8- and 16-mg treatment groups. Candesartan cilexetil was well tolerated at all doses. Conclusions - In summary, treatment with candesartan cilexetil demonstrated significant improvements in exercise tolerance, cardiothoracic ratio, and symptoms and signs of CHF and was well tolerated.