Pharmacotherapy for cardiac diseases

Abstract

Clinical trial design requires inclusion criteria that patients be on optimal medical therapy prior to enrollment or randomization, meaning that they are on medical regimens proven to be safe and effective and considered a standard in clinical practice for the particular disease state being studied. Only then can any clinical or statistical significance be determined between study groups. This chapter outlines optimal medical therapies for hypertension, acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and/or arrhythmias. © 2009 Humana Press.