Choosing Heart Failure Drugs

About half of patients with heart failure (HF) have a weak heart. These patients have been shown to live longer and feel better if they take a drug that stops the renin-angiotensin hormone pathway.

Some of these medicines have been around for a long time, work well, and are available as generics with low cost to patients.

A newer medicine has been shown to work better than the older medicines in patients with HFrEF, or heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, but it tends to come at a higher cost. Ejection fraction is a measure of how well your heart is pumping.

If you have HFrEF and are trying to decide which medicine to take to stop the renin-angiotensin hormone pathway, use this four-page decision aid to better understand your options. Then decide with your doctor or a member of your care team what treatment is right for you.

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