Aliskiren No Help in HF if Kidneys Impaired (CME/CE)
LISBON (MedPage Today) -- Renal function got worse when aliskiren (Tekturna) was given on top of standard therapy with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers to patients with heart failure and renal impairment, a small trial showed. (Source: MedPage Today State Required CME)
Source: MedPage Today State Required CME - May 28, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

MRI evidence of plaque progression in aliskiren-treated patients
Although the totality of the evidence did show a significantly increased risk of plaque progression with aliskiren, the increase was driven by a change in aortic plaque among individuals treated with it in combination with an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - May 23, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

Atherosclerosis and AliskirenAtherosclerosis and Aliskiren
Although the totality of the evidence did show a significantly increased risk of plaque progression with aliskiren, the increase was driven by a change in aortic plaque among individuals treated with it in combination with an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker. Heartwire (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - May 22, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cardiology News Source Type: news

Aliskiren disappoints in heart failure patients
Adding aliskiren to the standard therapy of patients hospitalized for heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction does not reduce their risk for cardiovascular mortality or readmission, shows the ASTRONAUT trial. (Source: MedWire News - Cardiology)
Source: MedWire News - Cardiology - March 18, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

BP Drug Flops in Heart Failure (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) -- The blood pressure drug aliskiren (Tekturna) doesn't help prevent rehospitalization or death for heart failure patients, the ASTRONAUT trial showed. (Source: MedPage Today Cardiovascular)
Source: MedPage Today Cardiovascular - March 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

Viagra, Aliskiren Not Helpful for Heart Failure After All: Studies
Title: Viagra, Aliskiren Not Helpful for Heart Failure After All: StudiesCategory: Health NewsCreated: 3/11/2013 4:36:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 3/12/2013 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Heart General)
Source: MedicineNet Heart General - March 12, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

RCT: Effect of aliskiren on postdischarge mortality and heart failure readmissions - results from the ASTRONAUT study
Source: JAMA Area: News The Journal of the American Medical Association has featured a study evaluating the addition of aliskiren (a direct renin inhibitor) to standard therapy in the management of patients with heart failure and its effects on the rate of cardiovascular death or rehospitalisation due to heart failure (HF).   The double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved patients with haemodynamically stable HF after a median of 5 days after admission into hospital. Eligible patients were 18 years or older with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 40% or less, elevated natriuretic peptides (brain natri...
Source: NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine - March 12, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

Aliskiren Flops as Add-On Therapy in Systolic HFAliskiren Flops as Add-On Therapy in Systolic HF
Signals of biomarker improvement and a differential clinical effect by diabetes status are highlights of the trial, but not efficacy for the primary end point: six-month CV death or heart-failure rehospitalization. Heartwire (Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines)
Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines - March 11, 2013 Category: Cardiology Tags: Cardiology News Source Type: news

Viagra, Aliskiren Not Helpful for Heart Failure After All
Results surprise, disappoint scientists Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Page: Heart Failure (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Source: MedlinePlus Health News - March 11, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Direct renin inhibitor aliskiren flops as add-on therapy in systolic HF: ASTRONAUT
Signals of biomarker improvement and a differential clinical effect by diabetes status are highlights of the trial, but not efficacy for the primary end point: six-month CV death or heart-failure rehospitalization. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - March 11, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

Meta-analysis: Efficacy and safety of dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system
The objective of the current systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the long term efficacy of dual RAS blockade (any two of ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, or aliskiren) with monotherapy, and to evaluate adverse events in patients receiving dual therapy compared with monotherapy. A systematic literature search (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane central register of controlled trials; Jan 1990-Aug 2012; no language restriction) identified 33 RCTs (total n=68,405; 71% men) reporting the outcomes of ... (Source: NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine)
Source: NeLM - Cardiovascular Medicine - January 29, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news

Novartis Says U.S. Unit Subpoenaed
Novartis said its U.S. unit has been subpoenaed as part of a federal investigation into the company's marketing of blood-pressure drug Tekturna and other products. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)
Source: WSJ.com: Health - January 24, 2013 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: PAID Source Type: news