Finerenone Reduces Heart Failure Events and Cardiovascular Deaths: FINEARTS-HF trial

Recent research presented at ESC Congress 2024 reveals that finerenone decreased the incidence of heart failure events and cardiovascular deaths in patients with heart failure and either mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

The FINEARTS-HF trial was a double-blind, randomized study involving patients with heart failure (NYHA functional class II–IV) and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 40% or higher. Participants were also required to be 40 years of age or older, have elevated natriuretic peptide levels, and show signs of structural heart disease.

Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive either finerenone (up to 40 mg daily, based on their initial estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) or a placebo.

The main goal of the study was to assess a combination of worsening heart failure events (both new and recurring) and cardiovascular death.

Secondary goals included overall mortality and a composite kidney outcome, which encompassed a sustained 50% or more drop in eGFR, a sustained decline in eGFR to below 15 ml/min/1.73 m², or the start of chronic dialysis or kidney transplantation.

In total, 6,001 patients, a mean age was 72 years and 46% were women. Finerenone significantly lowered the rate of worsening heart failure and cardiovascular death compared to a placebo over a median of 32 months.

Specifically, there were 1,083 worsening heart failure events in the finerenone group versus 1,283 in the placebo group, showing a 16% reduction in events with finerenone. Total worsening heart failure events were also lower with finerenone (842 events) compared to placebo (1,024 events).

Overall, Scientists concluded that finerenone reduce the heart failure events and cardiovascular death in patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Reference: Finerenone reduced heart failure (HF) events and cardiovascular death in patients with HF and mildly reduced (HFmrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2024.