FIGHT: Functional Impact of GLP-1 for Heart Failure Treatment

The purpose of this study is to determine the benefits and safety of the drug called liraglutide in patients with acute heart failure syndrome. Liraglutide (commercial name Victoza®) is already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with type II diabetes, but its use in patients with acute heart failure is investigational. Congestive heart failure is a common disorder in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the needs of the rest of the body. Patients hospitalized for an acute worsening of their heart failure are at increased risk for future adverse outcomes. To date, therapies added at the time of an acute heart failure episode have not improved patient outcomes. Recent studies suggest that improvements in the ability of the heart to use energy (metabolism) may help patients with heart failure. Because liraglutide may improve how the heart uses energy, this study is evaluating if liraglutide use may help patients with heart failure.