The role of angiotensin receptor blockers in the treatment of chronic heart failure
Ovchinnikov A.G.

National Research Medical Center of Cardiology, Moscow

The article highlights the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the formation of chronic heart failure (CHF) and methods of its suppressing with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. Angiotensin receptor blockers are one of the main classes of drugs used to treat heart failure. At the same time, candesartan, due to its exceptionally high affinity for angiotensin type 1 receptors, provides the longest possible blockade of tissue RAAS. The results of the main clinical studies on the evaluation of clinical and prognostic efficacy of angiotensin receptor blockers in patients with chronic systolic and diastolic heart failure are presented. The article describes the influence of this class of drugs on hemodynamics, structural rearrangement of the left ventricle of the heart, clinical state and survival of patients with CHF. The review presents practical recommendations on the features of the use of angiotensin receptor blockers in various clinical situations - in the treatment of heart failure with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and arterial hypertension, where this class of drugs (particularly candesartan), has a high therapeutic potential for influencing the course of the disease. 

Key words: renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, angiotensin receptor blockers, diastolic dysfunction, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, systolic heart failure.
For citation: Ovchinnikov A.G. The role of angiotensin receptor blockers in the treatment of chronic heart failure // RMJ. 2017. № 20. P. 1444–1451.