Bioprofiling Response to Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists for the Prevention of Heart Failure. A Proof of Concept Clinical Trial Within the EU FP 7 (European Union FP7) "HOMAGE" Programme " Heart OMics in AGing "

Despite advances in care, prognosis remains poor once overt Heart Failure (HF) has developed. Prevention is most efficient when directed toward patients at risk and when mechanistically targeted to patients most likely to respond. An increase in myocardial and possibly vascular collagen content (fibrosis) may be a major determinant of the transition to HF. In patients with hypertension and diabetes, two important risk-factors for HF, changes in blood markers of fibrosis occur before clinically overt HF develops. These markers are also related to prognosis. In the general population, Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a potential marker of fibrosis, is associated with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, and predicts development of HF. In animal models, Gal-3 is a key mediator of aldosterone-induced CV and renal fibrosis and dysfunction. The investigators hypothesize that the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA), spironolactone, may prevent HF by acting on extracellular matrix remodelling, especially in patients with active fibrogenesis, identified by high Gal-3 levels. The benefit/risk ratio of spironolactone might be superior in patients with a higher compared to lower plasma concentrations of Gal-3. Main objective is to investigate whether spironolactone can favourably alter extra-cellular matrix remodelling, assessed by changes in the fibrosis biomarker Procollagen Type III N-Terminal Peptide (PIIINP), in patients at increased risk of developing heart failure and whether this effect is greater in patients with increased plasma concentrations of Gal-3.