Arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats that can impact the pumping function of the heart. Patients with heart failure and cardiomyopathy are at risk for arrhythmias. Arrhythmias in these patients can be caused by their underlying cardiac disease or by drugs used to treat heart failure such as catecholamines. Arrhythmias can impair the proper filling of the heart with blood and, importantly, cardiac output to the body. Ventricular arrhythmias are particularly dangerous and can be fatal.
Innovative drugs have the potential to treat acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock to improve cardiac function without increasing the risk for arrhythmias. Acute decompensation of heart failure is responsible for approximately 1.3 million hospital admissions in the U.S. and approximately 1.5 million in the EU. It is the number 1 cause of U.S. hospitalizations in patients >65 years of age and is the most expensive Medicare diagnosis to treat. Cardiogenic shock can be a severe presentation of heart failure characterized by low blood pressure and inadequate blood flow to vital organs. It has a mortality rate as high as 30-40% and substantial morbidity in survivors. Istaroxime is administered intravenously in the hospital where acute heart failure ...