Spironolactone Use in Heart Failure Patients With End‐Stage Renal Disease on Hemodialysis: Is It Safe?

Background:

Spironolactone is used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, but is contraindicated in renal dysfunction due to the risk of hyperkalemia. It is not known if patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis are at the same risk for hyperkalemia. The objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence evaluating the incidence of hyperkalemia with spironolactone use in ESRD patients on hemodialysis.

Hypothesis:

Spironolactone use in ESRD patients on hemodialysis may not lead to greater incidence of hyperkalemia.

Methods:

We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, and PubMed databases up to January 2010 for English‐language, human‐subject clinical trials that evaluated the rate of hyperkalemia with spironolactone use in ESRD patients on hemodialysis. Search terms included were “spironolactone,” “eplerenone,” “aldosterone antagonist,” “heart failure,” “kidney failure,” “hemodialysis,” “dialysis,” and “renal replacement therapy.”

Results:

Six prospective trials demonstrated that spironolactone use was safe in ESRD patients on hemodialysis. The incidence of hyperkalemia with spironolactone treatment in these studies was similar to control groups. The studies involved a small population of compliant subjects who were at low risk for hyperkalemia.

Conclusions:

Small pilot studies demonstrated that spironolactone treatment in ESRD patients on hemodialysis did not result in higher hyperkalemia rates. Larger studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results before spironolactone is routinely considered in hemodialysis patients. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.     

Prenatal Control of Hb Bart’s Disease in Mainland China: Can We Do Better?

The aim of the present study was to report a 3-year experience on the prenatal control of Hb Bart’s (γ4) disease in Mainland China. All pregnancies with fetal Hb Bart’s disease were included from January 2011 to December 2013. The main clinical characteristics of the affected pregnancies were reviewed, including maternal reproductive history, prenatal care in the current pregnancy, the gestation of pregnancy at the time of booking, the gestation at the time of prenatal diagnosis (PND), and the complications associated with the pregnancy. A total of 246 cases of fetal Hb Bart’s disease were identified during the study period; among these, 177 (72.0%) were diagnosed in early gestation (≤24 weeks), and 69 (28.0%) in late gestation. Most (87.0%) of the patients presenting in late pregnancy had late or no prenatal care. Twenty (29.0%) had major obstetrical complications in patients presenting in late pregnancy, and five (5.0%) in patients presenting in relatively early pregnancy. The delay in PND deprived couples of opportunities to make informed decisions early in pregnancy. Efforts for designing and targeting strategies to improve the timeliness of prenatal care are urgently needed.     

Cardiovascular Disease in Blacks: Can We Stop the Clock?

Blacks have the highest rates of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, with earlier onset, greater severity, and more target organ damage including coronary disease, heart failure, stroke, and end-stage renal disease. A major reason is the greater prevalence of other cardiovascular disease risk factors, particularly obesity, inactivity, and diabetes mellitus, along with socioeconomic differences, adherence, and achievement of goals. This review focuses on the burden of cardiovascular disease in blacks. Therapeutic lifestyle changes and pharmacologic interventions to decrease clinical events in this high-risk group are described. Intensive blood pressure control is a primary means of "stopping the clock" in the progression of cardiovascular disease and renal disease. Thiazide diuretics remain primary first-step agents, especially for uncomplicated hypertension; calcium channel blockers are also efficacious. However, renin-angiotensin system modulators may also be beneficial, especially with a diuretic, considering the high prevalence in this group of patients of compelling indications for use of such agents.     

Diabetes-Induced Birth Defects: What Do We Know? What Can We Do?

Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States, which has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world. Many of these birth defects can be attributed to pre-existing, or pregestational, diabetes in pregnancy, which significantly increases a mother’s risk of having a child with a major birth defect. Strict preconceptional and early pregnancy glucose control, supplementation with multivitamins and fatty acids, and lower glycemic dietary management have been shown to reduce the incidence of birth defects in experimental and epidemiologic studies. However, because more than half of pregnancies are unplanned, these methods are not generalizable across the population. Thus, better interventions are urgently needed. Based on what we know about the molecular pathophysiology of diabetic embryopathy, our laboratory and others are developing interventions against to key molecular targets in this multifactorial disease process.     

Mucosal Healing in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Where Do We Stand?

The definition of remission in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis has evolved to include mucosal healing as a measure of treatment efficacy. Randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated mucosal healing is attainable with the current arsenal of therapies available to treat inflammatory bowel disease. Mucosal healing has been shown to reduce the likelihood of clinical relapse, reduce the risk of future surgeries, and reduce hospitalizations. This review focuses on the latest studies addressing clinical outcomes of mucosal healing in the clinical trial and practice setting.     

Heart Transplantation and Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy: Two Comparable Options in End‐Stage Heart Failure?

Heart transplantation is the only curative therapy for chronic heart failure, and it plays an important role in the treatment of chronic heart failure with a survival rate of approximately 50% of all patients after 10 years. This has to be kept in mind when alternative therapies enter into our daily routine in treating this patient population. However, the shortage of appropriate donor organs and the expanding pool of patients waiting for heart transplantation have led to growing interest in alternative strategies, particularly in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy. With growing clinical experience and continued technical advances, continuous‐flow pumps are evolving as a bridge to transplantation or as a destination therapy for advanced heart failure. Nevertheless, the importance of this new indication of chronic cardiac support compared to heart transplantation is still completely open and the object of controversial ongoing discussion. This review (1) describes the clinical use and long‐term outcome of a currently available miniaturized LVAD in the context to the standard of care—heart transplantation, (2) provides an outlook of the ongoing process of further optimization of LVADs, and (3) comments on the challenges with assist devices as alternatives to transplantation with a 5‐year outlook.     

ACE Inhibitor‐Related Angioedema: Can Angiotensin‐Receptor Blockers Be Safely Used?

Angioedema is a well-recognized side effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy. Angioedema can also be seen with angiotensin receptor blocker therapy but much less frequently than is the case with ACE inhibitors. For unclear reasons, ACE inhibitor-related angioedema occurs more commonly in black patients. Angioedema can be life threatening but more times than not its occurrence can be managed with conservative treatment measures including discontinuation of the medication and/or administration of an antihistamine. Occasionally, epinephrine and/or steroid therapy may be warranted. In a patient having experienced ACE inhibitor-related angioedema, angiotensin receptor blockers should be used cautiously if at all. If angiotensin receptor blocker therapy is being considered in a patient with prior ACE inhibitor-related angioedema there should be some justification for the use. Such justification might include the presence of heart failure or proteinuric nephropathic states among other considerations.     

How Can We Improve Disease Education in People with Gout?

Purpose of Review

Gout management is currently suboptimal despite excellent available therapy. Gout patient education has been shown to enhance medication adherence and self-management, but needs improvement. We explored the literature on gout patient education including gaps in gout patient knowledge; use of written materials; in-person individual and group sessions; education via nurses, pharmacists, or multi-disciplinary groups; and use of phone, web-based, mobile health app, and text messaging educational efforts.

Recent Findings

Nurse-led interventions have shown significant improvement in reaching urate goals. Pharmacist-led programs have likewise succeeded, but to a lesser degree. A multi-disciplinary approach has shown feasibility. Needs-assessments, patient questionnaires, and psychosocial evaluations can enhance targeted education.

Summary

An interactive and patient-centered approach can enhance gout educational interventions. Optimal programs will assess for and address educational needs related to knowledge gaps, health literacy, race, gender, socio-economic status, and level of social support.