EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF BENAZEPRIL AND LEVOCARNITINE COMBINATION THERAPY IN ATHLETES WITH HEART FAILURE DUE TO DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Benazepril combined with Levocarnitine in the treatment of heart failure in athletes with dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical records of 126 athletes diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and treated at our sports medicine clinic from September 2019 to December 2022. The athletes were divided into two groups based on their treatment regimen. The observation group received a combination of Benazepril and Levocarnitine, while the control group received Levocarnitine alone. Both groups were monitored for changes in myocardial markers, serum levels of hyaluronic acid, procollagen type III (PC III), and laminin (LN), as well as cardiac function indicators such as hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and diameters of left ventricular end-diastolic and systolic (LVEDD and LVESD). Additionally, the 6-minute walking distance and quality of life using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) were assessed. Results: Significant improvements were noted in the observation group with lower levels of myocardial markers such as myoglobin, CK-MB, cTcT, and cTcI compared to the control group (P<0.05). The observation group showed better cardiac function with higher LVEF and lower LVEDD and LVESD measurements. Levels of hs-CRP and BNP were significantly reduced in the observation group. Moreover, athletes in the observation group experienced an improved quality of life and increased walking distance. The overall clinical efficacy rate was also higher in the observation group compared to the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of adverse events was comparable between the two groups. Conclusion: The combination of Benazepril and Levocarnitine is effective in improving cardiac function and quality of life in athletes with dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. This therapeutic approach has shown to enhance myocardial fibrosis conditions and could be considered for broader clinical applications in sports medicine.