Suppression of circulating free fatty acids with acipimox in chronic heart failure patients changes whole body metabolism but does not affect cardiac function.

Circulating free fatty acids (FFAs) may worsen heart failure (HF) due to myocardial lipotoxicity and impaired energy generation. We studied cardiac and whole body effects of 28 days of suppression of circulating FFAs with acipimox in patients with chronic HF. In a randomized double-blind crossover design, 24 HF patients with ischemic heart disease [left ventricular ejection fraction: 26 ± 2%; New York Heart Association classes II (n = 13) and III (n = 5)] received 28 days of acipimox treatment (250 mg, 4 times/day) and placebo.

Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of 48-h glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion in compensated chronic patients with heart failure.

The incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its analogs are currently emerging as antidiabetic medications. GLP-1 improves left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in dogs with heart failure (HF) and in patients with acute myocardial infarction. We studied metabolic and cardiovascular effects of 48-h GLP-1 infusions in patients with congestive HF.

Adaptation of nonrevascularized human hibernating and chronically stunned myocardium to long-term chronic myocardial ischemia.

It is unknown whether human chronically ischemic dysfunctional myocardium degenerates over time or adapts to chronic ischemia. We studied whether perfusion, metabolism, and contractile function and reserve can be preserved in nonrevascularized human chronically stunned and hibernating myocardium. We studied 16 event-free, medically treated patients with ejection fractions of 31 +/- 2% and chronically stunned or hibernating myocardium in 56 +/- 5% of the left ventricle on technetium-99m sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography/fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography.