Perindopril for elderly people with chronic heart failure: the PEP-CHF study

Background: The prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) rises with increa sing age, from < 1% in those below 65 years of age to > 5% in those over 65 years of age and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older peop le. Recent European guidelines point to a major deficiency in our knowledge of how to treat diastolic chronic heart failure, and a lack of information on treatment for heart failure in the elderly in general. Aims: The aims o f this trial are to assess the potential benefits of the ACE inhibitor peri ndopril to treat chronic heart failure in elderly people, in the absence of any major left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Subjects: One thousand pe ople over the age of 70 years will be recruited into this study. Evidence o f chronic heart failure will be confirmed by clinical criteria and echocard iography. Methods: Once a diagnosis of chronic heart failure has been confi rmed, the patient will receive either perindopril or placebo in addition to their usual treatment. Death, and unplanned heart failure related hospital isations, are the primary outcomes. Quality of life, as measured by the Guy att questionnaire will be assessed at the beginning of the study and at 1 y ear. Sub-studies of this trial include a 6-min walking test and more detail ed evaluation of ventricular function (as assessed by echocardiography). Bo th parameters will be measured at 8 weeks and 1 year, and analysed against baseline data. Cognitive function in this group of patients will also be ev aluated at baseline and 1 year. This trial is due to report in the year 200 1. (C) 1999 European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.