Controversies in cardiology

Abstract

There are several areas of therapeutics where current practice differs between the United States and Europe. In the case of nesiritide, the use of this drug is undoubtedly controversial. This recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide is given to tens of thousands of patients in the United States every week at a cost of about $500 for each dose, and many physicians there are extremely enthusiastic about this new treatment for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Aggressive marketing by the manufacturer, Scios Inc, has been suggested as one reason for its increasing use1 while many cardiologists in Europe are far less enthusiastic and have …