A recent study by researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine has found that the heart failure drug ivabradine helps improve symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). POTS is a disorder that affects the autonomic nervous system and has been identified as a possible symptom of prolonged COVID-19.
“Ivabradine is a novel FDA-approved agent for heart failure, but based on its mechanism, it could be helpful for patients with POTS because it lowers heart rate without affecting blood pressure,” said Pam Taub, associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “When we can lower the heart rate, we’re giving these patients the ability to stand up, something they couldn’t do easily before because of their POTS diagnosis.”
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology , investigated the therapy for its effects on heart rate, plasma norepinephrine levels, and quality of life in people living with POTS. Researchers selected and recruited 22 participants between 2018 and 2020 for the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Participants received either the therapy or a placebo for one month, then spent one week receiving neither. After that week, the participants switched, with the arm that had received the therapy receiving the placebo and vice versa.
The study findings showed that those who received the therapy experienced a reduced heart rate, improved symptoms, and an overall improvement in their quality of life after one month. Ivabradine was well tolerated, and no significant side effects were observed.
The authors behind the study hope their research can help ivabradine become another potential treatment for recovering COVID-19 patients experiencing POTS symptoms.
“In our current practice, we are seeing patients who have previously been infected with COVID-19 who present with symptoms consistent with POTS,” said Jonathan Hsu, a cardiologist at UC San Diego Health. “Given the similarities, this study raises the question of whether ivabradine therapy may help patients experiencing similar symptoms after a COVID-19 infection and also provides an important area for future studies.”
From: https://www.contagionlive.com/view/ivabradine-may-treat-covid-19-long-hauler-symptom