Appropriateness and complications of the use of spironolactone in patients treated in a heart failure clinic

Primary Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis: Long-term Management and Complications in a Child

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HPP) is a rare genetically determined neuromuscular disorder caused by mutation in skeletal muscles calcium and sodium channels. It presents with recurrent episodes of flaccid paralysis. A 9-year-old girl presented with recurrent episodic flaccid quadriparesis with complete recovery in-between the episodes. Investigations during the acute episode revealed marked hypokalemia with electrocardiogram changes. Next-generation sequencing showed pathogenic missense mutation in CACNA1S gene. She responded well to oral potassium supplementation, acetazolamide, and spironolactone therapy. Muscle weakness in HPP is reversible, and long-term management reduces frequency of paralysis and prevents permanent weakness.

Hyperkalemia and management of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) are the cornerstone of treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). RAASi optimization in real-life care is challenged by hyperkalemia, a potentially fatal adverse event, which can necessitate downtitration or discontinuation of RAASi and negatively impact survival in HFrEF. The literature on this problem is sparse. We performed a systematic review of studies on HFrEF to investigate the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of hyperkalemia, RAASi prescription rates, frequency of RAASi downtitration or discontinuation due to hyperkalemia, and the potential negative effect of the latter on prognosis.

METHODS

We conducted a MEDLINE (PubMed) search including observational and interventional studies published between January 1987 and May 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 30 observational and 18 interventional studies were included in the review. The incidence of hyperkalemia reported was between 0% and 63% in observational studies and was between 0% and 30% in clinical trials. Risk factors for hyperkalemia included RAASi prescription, older age, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. In real-life studies, RAASi were downtitrated or discontinued in 3-22% of HFrEF patients; hyperkalemia was the reported cause in 5% of cases. No reports were found on the impact on prognosis of RAASi downtitration or discontinuation due to hyperkalemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperkalemia and RAASi downtitration or discontinuation are frequent, particularly in real-life HFrEF studies. Further research is needed to clarify the role of RAASi downtitration or discontinuation due to hyperkalemia and to assess its long-term prognostic impact in HFrEF patients.

Hyponatremia in Heart Failure: Pathogenesis and Management

Hyponatremia is a very common electrolyte abnormality, associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Two opposite processes can result in hyponatremia in this setting: Volume overload with dilutional hypervolemic hyponatremia from congestion, and hypovolemic hyponatremia from excessive use of natriuretics. These two conditions require different therapeutic approaches. While sodium in the form of normal saline can be lifesaving in the second case, the same treatment would exacerbate hyponatremia in the first case. Hypervolemic hyponatremia in HF patients is multifactorial and occurs mainly due to the persistent release of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the setting of ineffective renal perfusion secondary to low cardiac output. Fluid restriction and loop diuretics remain mainstay treatments for hypervolemic/dilutional hyponatremia in patients with HF. In recent years, a few strategies, such as AVP antagonists (Tolvaptan, Conivaptan, and Lixivaptan), and hypertonic saline in addition to loop diuretics, have been proposed as potentially promising treatment options for this condition. This review aimed to summarize the current literature on pathogenesis and management of hyponatremia in patients with HF.

Serum Chloride and Sodium Interplay in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction and Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

Background—

Serum chloride levels were recently found to be independently associated with mortality in heart failure (HF).

Methods and Results—

We investigated the relationship between serum chloride and clinical outcomes in 7195 subjects with acute myocardial infarction complicated by reduced left ventricular function and HF. The studied outcomes were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and hospitalization for HF. Both chloride and sodium had a nonlinear association with the studied outcomes ( P <0.05 for linearity). Patients in the lowest chloride tertile (chloride ≤100) were older, had more comorbidities, and had lower sodium levels ( P <0.05 for all). Serum chloride showed a significant interaction with sodium with regard to all studied outcomes ( P for interaction <0.05 for all). The lowest chloride tertile (≤100 mmol/L) was associated with increased mortality rates in the context of lower sodium (≤138 mmol/L; adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] for all-cause mortality=1.42 (1.14–1.77); P =0.002), whereas in the context of higher sodium levels (>141 mmol/L), the association with mortality was lost. Spline-transformed chloride and its interaction with sodium did not add significant prognostic information on top of other well-established prognostic variables ( P >0.05 for all outcomes).

Conclusions—

In post–myocardial infarction with systolic dysfunction and HF, low serum chloride was associated with mortality (but not hospitalization for HF) in the setting of lower sodium. Overall, chloride and its interaction with sodium did not add clinically relevant prognostic information on top of other well-established prognostic variables. Taken together, these data support an integrated and critical consideration of chloride and sodium interplay.

Combined use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system-acting agents: a cross-sectional study

Background Due to recent EU warnings and restrictions on the combined use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS)-acting agents, and the seriousness of the associated harm, we analyzed the prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) as dual therapy or associated with spironolactone. Setting An administrative claims database of a regional hospital in Romania. Methods We retrospectively included all adult patients hospitalized during 18 months in 2013-2014, discharged with a prescription of a RAAS-acting agent. Main outcome measures Counts of ACEIs and ARBs co-prescription, of ACEIs or ARBs combined with spironolactone, co-morbidities, co-medication, creatinine, and electrolytes assessment and values. Results Out of 1697 patients with a prescription of a RAAS-acting agent, 24 (1.4 %) were co-prescribed ACEIs and ARBs, and 416 (24.5 %) ACEIs or ARBs with spironolactone. Patients prescribed dual ACEI/ARB therapy and the ones with ACEI or ARB-spironolactone combination had significantly higher prevalence of increased creatinine level before discharge, compared to the ACEI and ARB monotherapy groups (48 and 31 % compared to 17 and 27 %). Subjects with diabetes, heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, or urea ≥40 mg/dL had higher odds of having ACEI or ARB-spironolactone combination compared to monotherapy, while hypertension and renal disease subjects had lower odds. Similar findings were comparing dual ACEI/ARB therapy to monotherapy except heart failure (not statistically significant). Conclusion Overall, the prevalence of use of dual therapy was low. The combined use of RAAS-acting agents was higher in patients with known risk factors for further renal function deterioration, compared to the ones without.

Facility variation and predictors of serum potassium monitoring after initiation of a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist in patients with heart failure

BACKGROUND

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) have been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction but are associated with hyperkalemia. We sought to evaluate the frequency, variation, and predictors associated with serum potassium monitoring in patients with HF initiated on an MRA among facilities in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with HF across 133 Veterans Affairs facilities from 2003 to 2013 who were given a new prescription of an MRA. The primary outcome was the mean percentage of patients per facility with serum potassium monitoring within 14 days of MRA dispensing. Univariate and covariate analyses were performed to determine factors associated with monitoring.

RESULTS

There were 142,880 patients identified with HF initiated on an MRA who met the study inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean (SD) percentage of patients per facility with serum potassium monitoring within 14 days was 41.6% (standard deviation 8.0%; minimum 18.9%, maximum 56.7%). Facilities with a higher frequency of monitoring were associated with membership in the Council on Teaching Hospitals (n = 70, P < .0001), had academic affiliations (n = 100, P < .0001), and a higher annual volume of patients with HF (≥200 patients, P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In a large multicenter national sample of patients with HF receiving a new MRA prescription, the frequency of serum potassium monitoring was below recommended guidelines. Academic facilities and those with a higher volume of patients with HF were associated with an increased frequency of monitoring.

Clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and treatment of hyponatraemia

Hyponatraemia, defined as a serum sodium concentration <135 mmol/l, is the most common disorder of body fluid and electrolyte balance encountered in clinical practice. It can lead to a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, from subtle to severe or even life threatening, and is associated with increased mortality, morbidity and length of hospital stay in patients presenting with a range of conditions. Despite this, the management of patients remains problematic. The prevalence of hyponatraemia in widely different conditions and the fact that hyponatraemia is managed by clinicians with a broad variety of backgrounds have fostered diverse institution- and speciality-based approaches to diagnosis and treatment. To obtain a common and holistic view, the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) and the European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA), represented by European Renal Best Practice (ERBP), have developed the Clinical Practice Guideline on the diagnostic approach and treatment of hyponatraemia as a joint venture of three societies representing specialists with a natural interest in hyponatraemia. In addition to a rigorous approach to methodology and evaluation, we were keen to ensure that the document focused on patient-important outcomes and included utility for clinicians involved in everyday practice.

Clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and treatment of hyponatraemia

Hyponatraemia, defined as a serum sodium concentration <135 mmol/l, is the most common disorder of body fluid and electrolyte balance encountered in clinical practice. It can lead to a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, from subtle to severe or even life threatening, and is associated with increased mortality, morbidity and length of hospital stay in patients presenting with a range of conditions. Despite this, the management of patients remains problematic. The prevalence of hyponatraemia in widely different conditions and the fact that hyponatraemia is managed by clinicians with a broad variety of backgrounds have fostered diverse institution- and speciality-based approaches to diagnosis and treatment. To obtain a common and holistic view, the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) and the European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA), represented by European Renal Best Practice (ERBP), have developed the Clinical Practice Guideline on the diagnostic approach and treatment of hyponatraemia as a joint venture of three societies representing specialists with a natural interest in hyponatraemia. In addition to a rigorous approach to methodology and evaluation, we were keen to ensure that the document focused on patient-important outcomes and included utility for clinicians involved in everyday practice.

Evaluation of patients with heart failure

Heart failure is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular diseases in the United States, and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and costs. Prompt diagnosis may help decrease mortality, hospital stay, and costs related to treatment. A complete heart failure evaluation comprises a comprehensive history and physical examination, echocardiogram, and diagnostic tools that provide information regarding the etiology of heart failure, related complications, and prognosis in order to prescribe appropriate therapy, monitor response to therapy, and transition expeditiously to advanced therapies when needed. Emerging technologies and biomarkers may provide better risk stratification and more accurate determination of cause and progression.

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: integrating evidence into clinical practice

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) improve survival and reduce morbidity in patients with heart failure, reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF), and mild-to-severe symptoms, and in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure after acute myocardial infarction. These clinical benefits are observed in addition to those of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers and beta-blockers. The morbidity and mortality benefits of MRAs may be mediated by several proposed actions, including antifibrotic mechanisms that slow heart failure progression, prevent or reverse cardiac remodelling, or reduce arrhythmogenesis. Both eplerenone and spironolactone have demonstrated survival benefits in individual clinical trials. Pharmacologic differences exist between the drugs, which may be relevant for therapeutic decision making in individual patients. Although serious hyperkalaemia events were reported in the major MRA clinical trials, these risks can be mitigated through appropriate patient selection, dose selection, patient education, monitoring, and follow-up. When used appropriately, MRAs significantly improve outcomes across the spectrum of patients with HF-REF.