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Study Finds Race Not Factor In Standard Heart Failure Treatment

DETROIT (WWJ) -   A traditional treatment for heart failure appears to be equally protective in preventing death or hospitalization among African-American patients, as compared to white patients, according to a study at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) are standard heart failure treatments.

"Although previous data have been somewhat conflicting regarding the consistency of benefits of ACE/ARB across races, this study showed that the results were virtually the same for African-American patients with heart failure compared to white patients." says Henry Ford researcher and cardiologist David Lanfear, M.D., lead author of the study.

The retrospective study looked at insured patients who were hospitalized for heart failure at Henry Ford Hospital between January 2000 and June 2008, and who primarily received care through the Henry Ford Medical Group.

A total of 1,094 patients (476 White and 618 African-Americans) were studied.  The average time of follow-up was two years.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

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