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Utilization of propionyl-L-carnitine for the treatment of heart failure

  • Chapter
The Carnitine System

Part of the book series: Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine ((DICM,volume 162))

Abstract

Heart failure is a common and disabling disease with a poor prognosis, but it can be easily diagnosed and recent data show that treatment of chronic heart failure reduces mortality, morbidity and improves quality of life [1, 2]. The usual treatment of chronic heart failure is with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics and digitalis. Other drugs are often used such as calcium antagonists, vasodilators, antiarrhythmics, positive inotropic agents, etc. Basically, all these compounds aim at reducing the progression of the disease, improving the hemodynamic profile of patients and/or reducing the generalized neuroendocrine response.

“Studies in carefully selected homogenous small groups of patients show that oral administration of propionyl-L-carnitine improves exercise capacity and skeletal muscle metabolism of patients with heart failure (classes II and III of NYHA). This provides a logical basis for individualizing therapy in order to improve exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with heart failure.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cattedra di Cardiologia, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Spedali Civili, P.le Spedali Civili, 1, I-25123, Brescia, Italy

    Professor Roberto Ferrari

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  1. Professor Roberto Ferrari
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  2. Inder Anand
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Thoraxcenter, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    J. W. De Jong

  2. Cattedra di Cardiologia, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Fondazione Clinica del Lavoro di Pavia, Gussago/Brescia, Italy

    R. Ferrari

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Ferrari, R., Anand, I. (1995). Utilization of propionyl-L-carnitine for the treatment of heart failure. In: De Jong, J.W., Ferrari, R. (eds) The Carnitine System. Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine, vol 162. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0275-9_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0275-9_23

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