Table 1.

Some effective medicines for the treatment of heart failure (HF).

Drug		Initial Dose	Target Dose*	Side Effects
-	Captopril	6.25-25 mg TID	50 mg TID	Hypotension
-	Enalapril	2.5 mg BID	20 mg BID	SCr/BUN increase
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors	Lisinopril	2.5-5 mg daily	40 mg daily	Hyperkalemia
-	Trandolapril	1 mg daily	4 mg daily	Cough
-	Perindopril	2 mg daily	16 mg daily	-
-	Bisoprolol	1.25 mg daily	10 mg daily	Hypotension
Beta Blockers	Carvedilol	3.125 mg BID	50 mg BID	First-degree heart block
-	Carvedilol CR	10 mg daily	80 mg daily	Dizziness
-	Metoprolol succinate	12.5-25 mg daily	200 mg daily	-
-	Candesartan	4-8 mg daily	32 mg daily	Hypotension
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers	Losartan	25-50 mg daily	150 mg daily	SCr/BUN increase
-	Valsartan	20-40 mg BID	160 mg BID	Hyperkalemia
-	Hydralazine	25-50 mg TID-QID	300 mg daily	Hypotension Headache
Vasodilators	Isosorbide dinitrate(ISD)	20-30 mg TID-QID	120 mg daily	Dizziness Asthenia
-	Fixed-dose combination	37.5 mg hydralazine/20 mg ISD TID	75 mg hydralazine/40 mg ISD TID	Nausea
-	Bumetanide	0.5-1.0 mg daily or	10 mg daily	Fluid loss
Diuretics	Furosemide	20-40 mg daily or	600 mg daily	Hyperuricemia
-	Torsemide	10-20 mg daily	200 mg daily	Cramping/diarrhea
-	Ethacrynic acid	25-50 mg daily	100 mg BID	Hypotension
Positive inotropic	Digoxin	0.125-0.25 mg daily	0.25 mg daily	Heart block Arrhythmias Anorexia