Coenzyme Q₁₀ treatment in serious heart failure

Abstract

Several noninvasive studies have shown the effect on heart failure of treatment with coenzyme Q10. In order to confirm this by invasive methods we studied 22 patients with mean left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction 26%, mean LV internal diameter 71 mm and in NYHA class 2-3. The patients received coenzyme Q10 100 mg twice daily or placebo for 12 weeks in a randomized double-blinded placebo controlled investigation. Before and after the treatment period, a right heart catheterisation was done including a 3 minute exercise test. The stroke index at rest and work improved significantly, the pulmonary artery pressure at rest and work decreased (significantly at rest), and the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at rest and work decreased (significantly at 1 min work). These results suggest improvement in LV performance. Patients with congestive heart failure may thus benefit from adjunctive treatment with coenzyme Q10.

Coenzyme Q10 and Utility in Heart Failure: Just Another Supplement?

“…Other studies confirmed improvements in cardiac performance with the use of coenzyme Q10 in heart failure and also demonstrated an improvement in quality of life. Some of these studies demonstrated a minimal improvement in survival [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25].…”

Cardiac metabolism — A promising therapeutic target for heart failure

“…Langsjoen and colleagues (1985) demonstrated, in a study of 143 patients, an improvement in stroke volume and EF following CQ10 treatment over a 12-week period. Further studies have confirmed these improvements in cardiac function in HF patients, but these have translated to only minimal improvements in mortality (Morisco, et al, 1994;Munkholm, et al, 1999). Many of these trials however, were underpowered to assess this end-point, and were performed at a time that coincided with the advent of ACEinhibitor and β-blocker therapies, which revolutionized HF treatment and drastically improved survival in their own right.…”

Coenzyme Q10 and Heart Failure

“…CoQ10 levels of 3.25 mg/L (±1.57) were seen in the only RCT that investigated invasive hemodynamics, which demonstrated that compared with placebo, CoQ10 reduction in stroke index, pulmonary artery pressure, and pulmonary capillary pressure. 34 A double-blind RCT of CoQ10 at 300 mg/d for 3 months (compared with placebo) in patients with ischemic heart disease demonstrated a significant reduction of inflammatory markers, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. 43 In terms of duration of dosing, a majority of trials have given CoQ10 for 3 months, whereas the longest administration of CoQ10 was 2 years (Q-SYMBIO trial).…”