Multicenter Prospective Investigation on Efficacy and Safety of Carperitide as a First-Line Drug for Acute Heart Failure Syndrome With Preserved Blood Pressure-COMPASS: Carperitide Effects Observed Through Monitoring Dyspnea in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Study

Background Recently, vasodilators have been increasingly being recognized as useful for the treatment of acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS). Although carperifide (alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide) has vasodilatory, diuretic and organ-protective effects, its efficacy and safety for the first-line drug treatment of AHFS have not been reported. Methods and Results A prospective observational study was performed in AHFS patients with preserved systolic blood pressure (SBP >= 120 mmHg), pulmonary congestion and dyspnea who were receiving carperitide monotherapy. The analysis was conducted in 1,832 patients (male: 52.7%; mean age: 75.1 +/- 12.7 years). The initial SBP was 151.1 +/- 25.7 mmHg; 62.0% were diagnosed as having acutely decompensated chronic heart failure and 78.8% were assessed as functional class III-IV according to New York Heart Association classification. Carperitide was administered at an initial dosage of 0.025-0.05 mu g.kg(-1).min(-1) in 50.4% of patients. In 1,524 patients (83.2%), carperitide monotherapy restored the acute phase and improved the degree of dyspnea as assessed using the modified Borg scale. The incidence of adverse drug reactions was 4.64%; the most frequently reported adverse reaction was hypotension (3.55%). Conclusion In the present study, following carperitide monotherapy, 83.2% of AHFS patients recovered from the acute phase. Based on these findings, carperitide seems useful for the first-line drug treatment of AHFS in patients with pulmonary congestion and preserved blood pressure. (Circ J 2008; 72: 1777- 1786)