Medicine Offers Hope to African Americans with Heart Failure by Ned Gonzalez
Although heart failure affects approximately 5 million Americans, the black community is hit particularly hard. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that more than 700,000 African Americans suffer from heart failure, with an expected increase to nearly 900,000 by 2010.
Not only are blacks 50 percent more likely to develop heart failure compared with white Americans, but according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, blacks tend to develop heart failure at an earlier age than other Americans. Their symptoms also tend to be more severe and to worsen more quickly.
Now, a new medicine named BiDil (isosorbide dinitrate/hydralazine hydrochloride), which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005, is making a positive difference in the lives of some black heart failure patients.
Clinical studies of BiDil demonstrated its effectiveness in improving symptoms in African American patients, when taken as an add-on to their standard heart failure medicines. BiDil was also shown to significantly improve survival and decrease rates of first hospitalization for heart failure, compared to patients treated with standard therapy alone.
These results can offer hope for many blacks suffering the symptoms of heart failure, the most common of which include:
* Shortness of breath from congestion in the lungs
* Fatigue that develops quickly after little exertion
* Sleeping problems due to the inability to lay flat or sudden awakening with shortness of breath
* Swelling in the feet, ankles and other parts of the body
For patients, normal everyday activities -- even walking -- become increasingly difficult over time. More concerning, risk for hospitalization and death increases as the heart’s ability to function well decreases.
Heart failure is a progressively worsening condition that occurs when the heart muscle weakens and cannot pump blood efficiently enough to meet the needs of the body. The loss of pump function is usually caused by poorly controlled high blood pressure, a heart attack or chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
“The devastating effect of heart failure in African Americans warrants the medical community’s attention,” said Clyde Yancy, M.D., from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. “The addition of BiDil to current heart failure therapies has been shown to save lives, improve symptoms and help people feel better.”
“After BiDil was added to my heart failure therapy, my physical condition improved,” said Shirley Ford, BiDil patient from Atlanta, Ga. “I now have the energy to spend quality time with my grandchildren.”
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Important Safety Information About BiDil
BiDil is approved for use in addition to standard heart medications to treat heart failure in black patients, to extend life, improve heart failure symptoms, and help heart failure patients stay out of the hospital longer. There is little experience in patients with heart failure who experience significant symptoms while at rest.
Tell your doctor about any allergies you have, especially if you’re sensitive to nitrates, such as nitroglycerin tablets or isosorbide dinitrate (Sorbitrate or Isordil). BiDil has a nitrate component, so you need to let your doctor know.
Tell your doctor if you’re taking any erectile dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension drugs, like Viagra/Revatio (sildenafil), Levitra (vardenafil), or Cialis (tadalafil). Mixing these with BiDil may cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, fainting, chest pain, or heart attack.
Also, tell your doctor if you are taking any medication to decrease blood pressure because when taken with BiDil, blood pressure may become too low.
Drinking alcohol when taking BiDil could make you feel very lightheaded. We recommend that you try to avoid drinking alcohol while taking BiDil.
It is possible you’ll get headaches, especially at first. For some patients, Tylenol (acetaminophen) helped ease the discomfort. Keep your doctor posted on your headache progress and Tylenol use; he or she may want to adjust your dosage.
If you experience dizziness, call your doctor. Please make sure to tell your doctor about any of the signs or symptoms mentioned below or about any unusual events that worry you. Headache (50 percent) and dizziness (32 percent) were the two most frequent side effects and more than twice as frequent in the patients taking BiDil.
Drinking less fluids than your doctor recommends or losing fluid due to diarrhea, sweating, or vomiting may cause low blood pressure, lightheadedness, or fainting. If fainting occurs, stop taking BiDil and contact your doctor immediately.
Lightheadedness may occur when standing, especially after sitting or lying down.
If you experience achy and/or swollen joints, unexplained fever for more than a few days, skin rashes, chest pain, prolonged weakness or fatigue (even after a good night’s sleep), or any other unexplained signs or symptoms, make sure to tell your doctor as they may be signs of a serious medical condition.
You may also experience rapid heartbeat that could lead to chest pain or aggravate chest pain, or numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.
BiDil is a registered trademark of NitroMed, Inc.
Sorbitrate is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca LP; Isordil is a registered trademark of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Viagra is a registered trademark and Revatio is a trademark of Pfizer Inc.; Levitra is a registered trademark of Bayer HealthCare, GlaxoSmithKline, and Schering-Plough; Cialis is a registered trademark of Lilly ICOS LLC. Tylenol is a registered trademark of McNeil Pharmaceuticals, a Division of McNeil PPC, Inc.
For complete Prescribing Information for BiDil, visit www.BiDil.com.
Patient experiences may vary. To learn more about heart failure and BiDil, consult your physician or visit www.bidil.com. - ARA
