The Use of Selective Inhibitor of If-Channels Ivabradine in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease, Heart Failure with High Heart Rate

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) and chronic heart failure (CHF) belong to leading causes of death among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Modern medical approaches to the treatment of patients with CHF do not always provide a significant improvement in the quality of life, a decrease in the frequency of CHF exacerbations and hospitalizations, and an improvement of the long-term prognosis. According to the neurohumoral theory of IHD and CHF development, the blockade of the sympathoadrenal system with β-adrenoblockers (β-AB) is pathogenetically substantiated, and preparations of this group are recommended as one of the main classes of drugs for the treatment of patients with CHF. However, selection of heart rhythm slowing therapy in patients with CHF of ischemic genesis is often difficult due to the development of undesirable side effects of β-AB, intolerance and/or due to the presence of contraindications for their use. Randomized studies have shown that prescribing a combination of β-AB and If-channel blocker ivabradine for heart rate (HR) reduction or solely ivabradine when use of β-AB is impossible in complex CHF therapy, improves the left ventricle (LV) diastolic function, reducing mortality from CHF decompensation. However, the prognostic significance of the use of ivabradine in patients with CHF with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction of ischemic genesis with heart rate higher than 70 beats/min receiving maximum tolerated doses of β-AB remains not fully investigated.