Effects of NaNO2 on Contractility in Patients with CHF
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effects of Nitrite on Cardiac Contractility in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
IRAS ID
234828
Contact name
Michael Frenneaux
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of East Anglia
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 4 days
Research summary
Heart failure affects around 1 million people in the UK and the incidence is increasing as the population ages. For people with heart failure, the heart is less able to perform its job of pumping blood around the body and must use more energy to pump the same amount of blood, especially during exercise. Currently, there are many effective treatments available but patients are often not placed on the high doses that are used in research, as they are limited by side effects such as low blood pressure. People with heart failure have low nitric oxide (NO) levels compared to healthy individuals, which underlies many of the issues that lead to poor exercise tolerance, such as an inability to increase blood flow to the muscles and lungs during exercise.
Inorganic nitrate from the diet (such as from beetroot and spinach) ‘tops up’ the amount of NO in the body by increasing the blood levels of nitrite, which is then turned into NO in the muscles and organs. There is increasing interest in the use of inorganic nitrate and nitrite in heart failure, as it is safe and cheap and less limited by side effects than currently used heart failure medications. There are promising results with small clinical studies of nitrite in patients with heart failure demonstrating beneficial effects. The direct effect of inorganic nitrate or nitrite on the pumping function (or ‘contractility’) of the heart is currently unknown. The effect of NO on the pumping function of the heart in heart failure has been mixed in research studies, sometimes improving it and sometimes not, but this seems to be related to the type of drug used. This study has been designed to investigate the effect of nitrite on cardiac contractility in heart failure patients. It is important for us to research this as it will inform future research and provide insight into ‘how’ nitrite may be having a beneficial effect in patients with heart failure.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/EE/0108
Date of REC Opinion
25 May 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion