FDA Approves New Drug to Treat Heart Failure

Larry Husten of Forbes reports that people in the U.S. who are living with chronic heart failure now have a new treatment option that will reportedly reduce their risk of death or hospitalization due to worsening symptoms. This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Corlanor (ivabradine) in patients who meet the following criteria: 

1. Have stable symptoms of heart failure
2. Have a normal heartbeat with a resting heart rate of at least 70 beats per minute
3. Are taking beta blockers at the highest dose they can tolerate

Colanor, which has been used in Europe for many years, gained approval under the FDA’s expedited priority review program. The FDA based its approval on a clinical trial that involved more than 6,500 participants, the result of which were published in 2010. This study demonstrated that Corlanor decreased the occurrence of hospitalization or cardiovascular death caused by worsening heart failure with a much higher success rate than a placebo.  

According to the FDA, the three most common side effects of Corlanor include bradycardia,  high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and temporary vision disturbances in the form of "flashes of light."

You can learn more by reading the full article at Forbes.