Candesartan for the management of heart failure: more than an alternative

Candesartan is a long-acting angiotensin receptor antagonist that is well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, with insurmountable receptor binding abilities. Recent studies have shown candesartan to be an effective therapy for heart failure patients, producing a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity. Importantly, studies have demonstrated that candesartan is effective in heart failure patients who are intolerant to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, in patients already receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and for heart failure patients with preserved systolic function. The primary end point in the latter group failed to achieve statistical significance due to the small number of events. This paper will review the data supporting the use of candesartan to treat all heart failure patients, regardless of their ejection fraction.