Evidence supporting the use of: N-Acetyl Cysteine
For the health condition: Congestive Heart Failure

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) has been studied for its potential benefits in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), though the evidence is limited and not definitive. The rationale for its use is based on its role as a precursor to glutathione, a major intracellular antioxidant. In CHF, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction contribute to disease progression. NAC, by boosting glutathione levels, may help counteract oxidative damage and improve vascular function.

Several small clinical studies and pilot trials have investigated NAC in heart failure patients. Some have reported improvements in hemodynamic parameters, such as reduced pulmonary vascular resistance and increased cardiac output, as well as decreased levels of inflammatory markers. A few studies also suggest that NAC may enhance the effectiveness of standard treatments, such as ACE inhibitors, and improve symptoms or exercise tolerance in CHF patients. However, most of these studies have methodological limitations, small sample sizes, and short durations.

Major clinical guidelines do not recommend NAC as a standard therapy for CHF due to insufficient high-quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that while NAC has a plausible biological mechanism and some positive findings, the current evidence is not strong enough to support routine use. In summary, NAC has some scientific rationale and limited preliminary evidence for supporting CHF management, but its use is not widely validated or adopted in clinical practice.

More about N-Acetyl Cysteine
More about Congestive Heart Failure

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