Vericiguat for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF): A review of its potential benefits in Pakistan

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is categorized by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) into three groups. HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is one of these groups characterized by the heart’s inability to pump sufficient blood to meet the body’s needs, resulting from the left ventricle’s impaired ability to contract effectively. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) guidelines recommend vericiguat for hospitalized patients experiencing worsening symptoms of HFrEF. This article reviews vericiguat’s efficacy and potential benefits in Pakistani patients with HFrEF. A literature search from 2013 to 2024 was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, employing keywords such as guidelines, heart failure, Pakistan, and reduced ejection fraction. Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulators, like vericiguat, have shown benefits in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis by reducing afterload through vasodilation. Vericiguat (2.5 - 10 mg taken orally once daily) shows promise in reducing cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization in adults with LVEF ≤45%. Vericiguat may alleviate Pakistan’s growing cardiovascular disease burden. Expedited access to this innovative therapy can be achieved through collaborative efforts among policymakers, healthcare authorities, and international research centers, potentially reducing hospitalization rates in Pakistani HFrEF patients.

Keywords

Vericiguat / Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction / Pakistan / Soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator / Cardiovascular disease

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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