Candesartan in Heart Failure - Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity (CHARM) Study Programme

Heart failure is a major cause of death, hospital admissions and poor quality of life. It affects some 1-2% of the general population, increasing to up to 8% in people over 75 years of age. Although treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduces symptoms and mortality, 50-70% of patients with heart failure still die within 5 years of diagnosis. There is thus clear scope for improving the treatment of patients with this condition. The CHARM programme is designed to define the clinical benefits of the long-acting angiotensin II type 1 (AT 1 ) receptor blocker, candesartan cilexetil, in a wide variety of patients with symptomatic heart failure. Candesartan cilexetil will be evaluated in three double-blind, randomized studies involving patients grouped according to left ventricular function and ACE inhibitor tolerance/intolerance.