Comparative Effectiveness of Carvedilol Versus Metoprolol Succinate in Heart Failure Patients With an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

Summary

This prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized comparative effectiveness trial, titled CARVTOP-ICD, evaluates the impact of carvedilol versus metoprolol succinate in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The study will enroll 2,000 participants across 100 U.S. sites and includes an 18-month feasibility phase with 100 participants from 15 sites. Eligible participants must be currently treated with metoprolol succinate and willing to switch to carvedilol, with randomization in a 1:1 ratio. Participants will be followed for up to 3 years, with regular assessments including ICD interrogations, medication adherence, healthcare utilization, and quality of life surveys. The primary endpoint is the first occurrence of any ICD therapy (appropriate or inappropriate), cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization, or CV death. Secondary endpoints include ICD shock burden, healthcare utilization, and patient-reported quality of life. The trial aims to provide high-quality comparative data to address clinical equipoise surrounding the two commonly used beta-blockers in HFrEF management.

Timeline

Start

2025-08-17

Primary completion

2031-06-01

Completion

2031-07-01

Publications

• Background Packer M, Coats AJ, Fowler MB, Katus HA, Krum H, Mohacsi P, Rouleau JL, Tendera M, Castaigne A, Roecker EB, Schultz MK, DeMets DL; Carvedilol Prospective Randomized Cumulative Survival Study Group. Effect of carvedilol on survival in severe chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2001 May 31;344(22):1651-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200105313442201.
• Background Packer M, Bristow MR, Cohn JN, Colucci WS, Fowler MB, Gilbert EM, Shusterman NH. The effect of carvedilol on morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. U.S. Carvedilol Heart Failure Study Group. N Engl J Med. 1996 May 23;334(21):1349-55. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199605233342101.
• Background Poole-Wilson PA, Swedberg K, Cleland JG, Di Lenarda A, Hanrath P, Komajda M, Lubsen J, Lutiger B, Metra M, Remme WJ, Torp-Pedersen C, Scherhag A, Skene A; Carvedilol Or Metoprolol European Trial Investigators. Comparison of carvedilol and metoprolol on clinical outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure in the Carvedilol Or Metoprolol European Trial (COMET): randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2003 Jul 5;362(9377):7-13. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13800-7.
• Background Diamond A, Goldenberg I, Younis A, Goldenberg I, Sampath R, Kutyifa V, Chen AY, McNitt S, Polonsky B, Steinberg JS, Zareba W, Aktas MK. Effect of Carvedilol vs Metoprolol on Atrial and Ventricular Arrhythmias Among Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Recipients. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2023 Oct;9(10):2122-2131. doi: 10.1016/j.jacep.2023.06.009. Epub 2023 Aug 30.
• Background Ruwald MH, Abu-Zeitone A, Jons C, Ruwald AC, McNitt S, Kutyifa V, Zareba W, Moss AJ. Impact of carvedilol and metoprolol on inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy: the MADIT-CRT trial (Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation With Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Oct 8;62(15):1343-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.03.087. Epub 2013 Jun 13.
• Background Ruwald MH, Ruwald AC, Jons C, Alexis J, McNitt S, Zareba W, Moss AJ. Effect of metoprolol versus carvedilol on outcomes in MADIT-CRT (multicenter automatic defibrillator implantation trial with cardiac resynchronization therapy). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Apr 9;61(14):1518-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.01.020.
• Background Fiuzat M, Wojdyla D, Kitzman D, Fleg J, Keteyian SJ, Kraus WE, Pina IL, Whellan D, O'Connor CM. Relationship of beta-blocker dose with outcomes in ambulatory heart failure patients with systolic dysfunction: results from the HF-ACTION (Heart Failure: A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training) trial. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012 Jul 17;60(3):208-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2012.03.023. Epub 2012 May 2.

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