IMPACT OF SACUBITRIL/VALSARTAN COMBINATION ON PREVALENCE OF ARRHYTHMIA IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS WITH REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Sacubitril/Valsartan combination on prevalence of arrhythmias in HFrEF patients and compare it with patients on ACEI or ARBs only in addition to echo parameters follow up. This study was conducted at Ain Shams university and Nasr city insurance hospitals and our target population was heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction on either Sacubitril\Valsartan combination therapy (Group A) or on ACEI or ARBs (Group B) for at least 3 months, it was an observational study to follow up the burden of arrhythmia among heart failure patients by 48 hours holter monitoring at 3 and 6 months besides Echo parameters follow up. Our study included 2 groups. Group A (30 patients on Sacubitril/Valsartan combination therapy and mean age was 58.23 ± 4.80 years, 73.3% of patients were males and 26.7% females). Group B (30 patients on ACEIs or ARBs with mean age 56.37 ± 4.49 years, 80.0% of patients were males and 6 % females). There was no significant difference regarding the medical history, risk factors and NYHA classification of heart failure. The patients were classified into ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients and there was no significant difference between both groups. Group A was characterized by significant decrease in QTc values which reached the lowest values after 6 months, in the opposite side; group B was associated with increasing QTc values through the follow up period. As regards echocardiographic parameters we have found that left ventricle ejection fraction was improving to reach the highest values after six months in group A but we did not find significant improvement of left ventricle ejection fraction in group B. Other echocardiography parameters in group A including LA, LVIDd, RVSP and SWMA were improved by the end of the study but we have found that LA diameter was increasing in group B. In group A, burden of ventricular ectopics was found to be decreasing through the follow up period but there was no significant change of ventricular ectopics incidence in group B by the end of the study. Sacubitril/Valsartan combination therapy was superior to ACEIs in reducing ventricular ectopics which means that this drug plays a role in preventing SCD. Ejection fraction in Sacubitril/Valsartan combination group was improving through the follow up period. Echocardiographic parameters were improving in Sacubitril/Valsartan group as regard LA, LVIDd and RVSP. Functional capacity in Sacubitril/Valsartan combinations group was improving through follow up period which means this drug reduces hospitalization.