Monica Colvin-Adams, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine/Cardiology; Medical Director, Cardiac Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Anne L. Taylor, MD Professor of Medicine/Cardiology and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, University of Minnesota Medical School; Codirector, University of Minnesota National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health; Chair, Steering Committee, African-American Heart Failure Trial (A-HeFT)
Address: Anne L. Taylor, MD, University of Minnesota Medical School, C694 Mayo Memorial Building, Mayo Mail Code 293, 420 Delaware Street, S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455; e-mail: taylo135@umn.edu
Dr. Taylor has indicated that she has received research support and consulting fees from the NitroMed corporation, which also sponsored the African-American Heart Failure Trial.
ABSTRACTThe African American Heart Failure Trial (A-HeFT) found that African American patients with advanced heart failure fared better if the fixed-dose combination of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine was added to their regimen, which for most of them already included an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB), a beta-blocker, and a diuretic (N Engl J Med 2004; 351:2049-2057). This placebo-controlled trial was the first to evaluate a therapy in a specific racial group, and it points the way to a more individualized approach to heart failure therapy.