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Clinical
trials that involve heart failure patients are too narrow
and tend to leave out seniors, women and minorities, according
to a study reported in the August 12th issue of the Archives
of Internal Medicine.
The researchers,
who are or were at one time affiliated with the Yale University
Department of Medicine, compared the characteristics of heart
failure patients in randomized controlled trials and in the
community.
The researchers
found that heart failure patients in the 59 trials they reviewed
were markedly different from heart failure patients in the
community. The trial participants tended to be younger, male
and white. The researchers noted that the situation has not
improved over the years.
"Clinical
trials are focusing on a relatively small segment of the heart
failure population," the researchers concluded. "The
consequences of underrepresenting minorities, women, and elderly
are unknown but may be particularly important for heart failure.
Future clinical trials should adequately include populations
that carry the burden of the disease."
Source:
Heart
Disease Week of August 18, 2002
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