How effective is Tolvaptan in treating heart failure?

Tolvaptan is an oral vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist that clears free water. Studies have shown that tolvaptan tablets are a safe and effective drug for the treatment of hypervolemia and hypervolemic hyponatremia, as well as in patients with heart failure. Three meta-analyses were conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of tolvaptan tablets in patients hospitalized for heart failure, focusing primarily on chronic heart failure (CHF).

Heart failure is a common clinical syndrome characterized by extravascular and intravascular volume overload. Tolvaptan tablets can reduce weight, increase sodium levels, and improve symptoms of dyspnea in patients with acute heart failure. However, tolvaptan tablets did not improve or worsen all-cause mortality, clinical event rates, and length of stay in patients with acute heart failure. Tolvaptan tablets can increase serum sodium levels within two days in patients with acute heart failure. Studies have also shown that sodium reduction is an important predictor of survival in patients with heart failure, and tolvaptan tablets, a nonpeptide vasopressin type 2 receptor antagonist, can now be used in patients with hyponatremic heart failure.

Tolvaptan tablets have been marketed in China and have entered the scope of Class B medical insurance. The price paid by medical insurance is relatively cheap, but the reimbursement ratio is different in different regions, and the price after reimbursement will be different. Domestic pharmacies or hospitals will sell this drug, and the original drug of tolvaptan tablets is also on the market overseas. There are also generic tolvaptan tablets produced in other countries. The price of Indian pharmaceutical factory production specifications15mg*4 tablets per box is around RMB 800 (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). The ingredients of foreign generic drugs are basically the same as those of domestic and foreign original drugs.