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RALES (trial)
The Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES) trial is a landmark clinical study that assessed the impact of spironolactone, an aldosterone antagonist, on morbidity and mortality in patients with severe heart failure due to systolic dysfunction. The findings from this trial significantly influenced the treatment guidelines for heart failure. Background Heart failure, particularly with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aldosterone, a hormone that promotes sodium retention and potassium excretion, plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of heart failure by contributing to fluid overload, myocardial fibrosis, and vascular damage. Spironolactone, a potassium-sparing diuretic Potassium-sparing diuretics or antikaliuretics refer to drugs that cause diuresis without causing potassium loss in the urine. They are typically used as an adjunct in management of hypertension, cirrhosis, and congestive heart failure. The st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized controlled trial (or randomized control trial; RCT) is a form of scientific experiment used to control factors not under direct experimental control. Examples of RCTs are clinical trials that compare the effects of drugs, surgical techniques, medical devices, diagnostic procedures, diets or other medical treatments. Participants who enroll in RCTs differ from one another in known and unknown ways that can influence study outcomes, and yet cannot be directly controlled. By randomly allocating participants among compared treatments, an RCT enables ''statistical control'' over these influences. Provided it is designed well, conducted properly, and enrolls enough participants, an RCT may achieve sufficient control over these confounding factors to deliver a useful comparison of the treatments studied. Definition and examples An RCT in clinical research typically compares a proposed new treatment against an existing standard of care; these are then termed the 'expe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spironolactone
Spironolactone, sold under the brand name Aldactone among others, is classed as a diuretic medication. It can be used to treat edema, fluid build-up due to hepatic cirrhosis, liver disease or kidney disease. It is also used to reduce risk of disease progression, hospitalization and death due to some types of heart failure. Other uses include acne and excessive hair growth in women, hypokalemia, low blood potassium that does not improve with Potassium#Supplementation, supplementation, high blood pressure that is difficult to treat and early puberty in boys. It can also be used to block the effects of testosterone in transgender women and Non-binary gender, nonbinary people undergoing Feminizing hormone therapy, feminizing hormone replacement therapy. Spironolactone is usually available in tablets, taken oral administration, by mouth, though topical forms are also available. Common side effects include electrolyte abnormalities, particularly hyperkalemia, high blood potassium ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aldosterone Antagonist
A mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA or MCRA) or aldosterone antagonist, is a diuretic drug which antagonizes the action of aldosterone at mineralocorticoid receptors. This group of drugs is often used as adjunctive therapy, in combination with other drugs, for the management of chronic heart failure. Spironolactone, the first member of the class, is also used in the management of hyperaldosteronism (including Conn's syndrome) and female hirsutism (due to additional antiandrogen actions). Most antimineralocorticoids, including spironolactone, are steroidal spirolactones. Finerenone is a nonsteroidal antimineralocorticoid. Medical uses Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists are diuretic drugs that work primarily on the kidneys. They decrease sodium reabsorption, which leads to increased water excretion by the kidneys. By regulating water excretion, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists lower blood pressure and reduce fluid around the heart which can be very beneficial ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heart Failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to Cardiac cycle, fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically presents with shortness of breath, Fatigue (medical), excessive fatigue, and bilateral peripheral edema, leg swelling. The severity of the heart failure is mainly decided based on ejection fraction and also measured by the severity of symptoms. Other conditions that have symptoms similar to heart failure include obesity, kidney failure, liver disease, anemia, and thyroid disease. Common causes of heart failure include coronary artery disease, heart attack, hypertension, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, alcohol use disorder, excessive alcohol consumption, infection, and cardiomyopathy. These cause heart failure by altering the structure or the function of the heart or in some cases both. There are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ejection Fraction
An ejection fraction (EF) is the volumetric fraction (or portion of the total) of fluid (usually blood) ejected from a chamber (usually the heart) with each contraction (or heartbeat). It can refer to the cardiac atrium, cardiac ventricle, gall bladder, or leg veins, although if unspecified it usually refers to the left ventricle of the heart. EF is widely used as a measure of the pumping efficiency of the heart and is used to classify heart failure types. It is also used as an indicator of the severity of heart failure, although it has recognized limitations. The EF of the left heart, known as the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), is calculated by dividing the volume of blood pumped from the left ventricle per beat ( stroke volume) by the volume of blood present in the left ventricle at the end of diastolic filling ( end-diastolic volume). LVEF is an indicator of the effectiveness of pumping into the systemic circulation. The EF of the right heart, or right ventricul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Potassium-sparing Diuretic
Potassium-sparing diuretics or antikaliuretics refer to drugs that cause diuresis without causing potassium loss in the urine. They are typically used as an adjunct in management of hypertension, cirrhosis, and congestive heart failure. The steroidal aldosterone antagonists can also be used for treatment of primary hyperaldosteronism. Spironolactone, a steroidal aldosterone antagonist, is also used in management of female hirsutism and acne from PCOS or other causes. Types of potassium-sparing diuretics * Epithelial sodium channel blockers: ** Amiloride better tolerated than triamterene ** Triamterene increased renal side-effects * Aldosterone antagonists, also known as mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists: ** Spironolactone most widespread use, inexpensive ** Eplerenone more selective so reduced side-effects but more expensive and less potent ** Finerenone non-steroidal, more selective and potent than spironolactone and eplerenone ** Canrenone very limited use Me ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Epidemiological Study Projects
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population, and application of this knowledge to prevent diseases. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidence-based practice by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive healthcare. Epidemiologists help with study design, collection, and statistical analysis of data, amend interpretation and dissemination of results (including peer review and occasional systematic review). Epidemiology has helped develop methodology used in clinical research, public health studies, and, to a lesser extent, basic research in the biological sciences. Major areas of epidemiological study include disease causation, transmission, outbreak investigation, disease surveillance, environmental epidemiology, forensic epidemiology, occupational epidemiology, screening, biomonitoring, and comp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clinical Trials Related To Cardiology
Clinical may refer to: Healthcare * Of or about a clinic, a healthcare facility * Of or about the practice of medicine Other uses * ''Clinical'' (film), a 2017 American horror thriller See also * * * Clinical chemistry, the analysis of bodily fluids for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes * Clinical death, the cessation of blood circulation and breathing * Clinical formulation, a theoretically-based explanation of information obtained from clinical assessment * Clinical governance, a systematic approach to maintaining and improving the quality of patient care * Clinical linguistics, linguistics applied to speech-language pathology * Clinical psychology, the understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction * Clinical research, to determine the safety and effectiveness of medications etc. * Clinical significance, the practical importance of a treatment effect * Clinical trial, experiments or observations done in clinical research * Clinical w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
