A-HeFT

A-HeFT

African-American heart failure trial. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 1,100 African-American men and women with moderate to severe congestive heart failure, categorised as New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure classifications III and IV. A-HeFT assessed the effects of an NO-enhancing drug, isosorbide dinatrate (BiDil). The trial was stopped early because of marked improvement in Black patients in whom it reduced mortality by 43% and hospitalisations by 39%. Isosorbide became the first heart-failure medication to specifically address endothelial dysfunction, and is the first race-based prescription drug.