Herbal extract extends life for heart failure patients

Compound is shown to be safe; adds 4 months to patient survival

An herbal medicinal substance, Crataegus Extract WS®1442, safely extends the lives of congestive heart failure patients already receiving pharmacological treatment for the disease, according to a study presented today at the American College of Cardiology’s 56th Annual Scientific Session. Crataegus Extract WS®1442 is an extract of leaves of the Crataegus tree, and is a natural antioxidant. The herb is currently approved for use in some European countries to treat early congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body’s other organs. ACC.07 is the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, bringing together cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists to further breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine.

The randomized, double-blind trial, known as the SPICE study, was conducted at 156 centers in Europe. The majority of the patients were male (84 percent) and nearly half the group (44 percent) were classified as NYHA III, meaning they were significantly impaired by their heart condition. The primary endpoint of the study was time to first cardiac event, including sudden cardiac death, death due to progressive heart failure, fatal heart attack, non-fatal heart attack or hospitalization due to heart failure.

A total of 2,681 patients with markedly impaired left ventricular function – indicating advanced congestive heart failure – were randomized to WS®1442 or placebo for a duration of two years. All patients were already receiving pharmacological therapy with ACE-inhibitors (83 %), beta-blockers (64 %), glycosides (57 %), spironolactone (39 %) and diuretics (85 %).