A recent analysis of the FINEARTS-HF trial suggests that finerenone, a nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, could be an effective treatment for patients recently hospitalized due to worsening heart failure. Dr. Akshay Desai, medical director of the Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, discussed these findings ahead of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Annual Scientific Meeting, which was ultimately canceled due to Hurricane Helene.
Overview of FINEARTS-HF Findings
The FINEARTS-HF trial involved a randomized, multicenter study comparing finerenone to a placebo in patients with heart failure and either mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (EF), defined as greater than 40%. Historically, this patient population has lacked effective medical therapies. The trial’s primary results were first presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting and later published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study found that finerenone treatment led to a 16% reduction in the primary composite outcome, which included total worsening heart failure events and cardiovascular death. Most of this reduction stemmed from fewer worsening heart failure events, both in hospital and outpatient settings, without a significant impact on cardiovascular death rates.
Implications for Patients with Worsening Heart Failure
Dr. Desai emphasized that patients who have recently experienced worsening heart failure are at a heightened risk for mortality and readmission. This risk is particularly pronounced in the weeks following such an event. The data presented at the HFSA meeting focused on how finerenone performs specifically in these high-risk patients.
The trial enrolled participants both during hospitalization and those who were recently discharged. Notably, about half of the subjects had been enrolled within three months of a worsening heart failure event.
The results indicated that finerenone’s treatment effect remained consistent regardless of how long it had been since the patient experienced worsening heart failure. In fact, those enrolled during or shortly after hospitalization showed even greater treatment benefits.
Safety And Future Research
The findings suggest that finerenone is as effective in recently hospitalized patients as it is in those with stable conditions.
However, Dr. Desai noted that while these secondary analyses provide promising insights, further confirmation through additional trials is necessary.
As researchers continue to explore finerenone’s efficacy, they aim to collaborate with clinical partners to initiate trials testing this treatment on humans with HFpEF. If successful, finerenone could become one of the first effective therapies for this challenging condition, potentially improving the lives of millions worldwide.
Duke-NUS Medical School remains at the forefront of medical research and education, striving to develop new treatments that enhance patient outcomes in Singapore and beyond.
Related topics:
- Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy Gains EU Support for Treating Obesity-Related Heart Failure
- Drs. Anuradha Lala-Trindade & Robert J. Mentz Appointed as Co-Editors-in-Chief of Journal of Cardiac Failure
- Integrated Approach Needed to Address Link Between Diabetes And Heart Failure in India