Loading...
Despite the high prevalence and poor outcomes of acute decompensated heart failure, few effective therapies exist. In a manufacturer-sponsored, dose-ranging, phase II trial, investigators evaluated the effects of relaxin, a naturally occurring vasodilator involved in hemodynamic changes during pregnancy. They enrolled 234 patients within 16 hours of presentation for acute heart failure characterized by dyspnea, radiographic pulmonary congestion, elevated natriuretic peptide levels, mild-to-moderate renal insufficiency, and systolic blood pressure >125 mm Hg. Among patients with left ventricular ejection fraction measured, the proportion with preserved systolic function ranged from 32% to 56% in the various treatment groups. Patients were ra…