Managing Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Aficamten
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Reviewed & Translated by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
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Posted on July 1st, 2024
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Cardiac hypercontractility associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can obstruct blood flow. While surgical intervention can address this condition, it is often non-ideal due to its invasiveness and limited availability at specialized hospitals. Aficamten, a medication that reduces cardiac contractility by interfering with the actin-myosin cross-bridge, presents a potential alternative treatment. Consequently, a study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of aficamten in managing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
The phase 3 clinical trial enrolled 282 patients with an average age of 59.1 years who were diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, characterized by a left ventricular wall thickness of at least 15 mm. At baseline, the cohort had an average left ventricular ejection fraction of 74.8% and a left ventricular outflow pressure gradient at rest of 55.1 mmHg. The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) revealed a baseline KCCQ-CSS score of approximately 75. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or 5 mg of oral aficamten once daily. After 24 weeks, aficamten treatment reduced the left ventricular outflow gradient to 20 mmHg and increased peak oxygen uptake during exercise by 1.8 mL per kilogram per minute. Additionally, patients treated with aficamten reported significant symptom reduction, as evidenced by improved KCCQ-CSS scores.
The phase 3 clinical trial enrolled 282 patients with an average age of 59.1 years who were diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, characterized by a left ventricular wall thickness of at least 15 mm. At baseline, the cohort had an average left ventricular ejection fraction of 74.8% and a left ventricular outflow pressure gradient at rest of 55.1 mmHg. The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) revealed a baseline KCCQ-CSS score of approximately 75. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or 5 mg of oral aficamten once daily. After 24 weeks, aficamten treatment reduced the left ventricular outflow gradient to 20 mmHg and increased peak oxygen uptake during exercise by 1.8 mL per kilogram per minute. Additionally, patients treated with aficamten reported significant symptom reduction, as evidenced by improved KCCQ-CSS scores.