{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Sacubitril-valsartan treatment is associated with decrease in central apneas in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
{Author}: Passino C;Sciarrone P;Vergaro G;Borrelli C;Spiesshoefer J;Gentile F;Emdin M;Giannoni A;
{Journal}: Int J Cardiol
{Volume}: 330
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 05 2021 1
{Factor}: 4.039
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2021.02.012
{Abstract}: To assess the impact of sacubitril-valsartan on apneic burden in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 51 stable HFrEF patients planned for switching from an ACE-i/ARB to sacubitril-valsartan were prospectively enrolled.<BR>At baseline and after 6 months of treatment, all patients underwent echocardiography, 24-h cardiorespiratory monitoring, neurohormonal evaluation, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. At baseline 29% and 65% of patients presented with obstructive and central apneas, respectively. After 6 months, sacubitril-valsartan was associated with a decrease in NT-proBNP, improvement in LV function, functional capacity and ventilatory efficiency. After treatment, the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased across the 24-h period (p < 0.001), as well as at daytime (p < 0.001) and at nighttime (p = 0.026), proportionally to baseline severity. When subgrouping according to the type of apneas, daytime, nighttime and 24-h AHI decreased in patients with central apneas (all p < 0.01). Conversely, in patients with obstructive apneas, the effect of drug administration was neutral at nighttime, with significant decrease only in daytime events (p = 0.007), mainly driven by reduction in hypopneas.<BR>Sacubitril-valsartan on top of medical treatment is associated with a reduction in the apneic burden among a real-life cohort of HFrEF patients. The most marked reduction was observed for central apneas.