Course Summary

Expiration Date: 07/01/2028

Sacubitril/valsartan is a dual-acting angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitor approved for treating heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction. By combining neprilysin inhibition with angiotensin II receptor blockade, it enhances vasodilation, natriuresis, and neurohormonal suppression, leading to improved clinical outcomes. It is recommended in current guidelines as a preferred therapy for eligible patients with HFrEF. A recent pooled analysis of the PIONEER-HF and PARAGLIDE-HF trials supports early in-hospital initiation to reduce short-term cardiovascular events across a range of ejection fractions. Key considerations include appropriate dosing, adverse effect monitoring, and cautious interpretation of NT-proBNP during therapy.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Pharmacological Overview
  • Therapeutic Applications
    • FDA-Approved Indications:
    • Clinical Guideline Placement
    • Off-Label Uses and Clinical Considerations
  • Dosing and Administration
    • Special Populations
  • Contraindications and Adverse Effects
  • Toxicity and Monitoring
  • Clinical Pearls
  • Journal Club: Sacubitril/Valsartan for Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients
  • Objective
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Study Limitations
  • Clinical Impact and Future Directions
  • Summary

Authors

Elisabeth Gordon, BScPharm, RPh

Elisabeth Gordon earned her BSc(Pharm) from the University of British Columbia in 2004. After graduation, she worked in community retail pharmacies on Vancouver Island, before returning to her rural hometown of Salmon Arm. In 2016 and 2017, Elisabeth trained with Pallium Canada and Victoria Hospice to enhance her knowledge of end-of-life-care and palliative services. She is a volunteer medical supervisor for T1DOutreach, a peer support platform for adults living with type 1 diabetes, and a member of a Canadian peer support group for adults living with Birdshot Uveitis. Elisabeth enjoys working in a small, fast-paced rural pharmacy where she brings compassion and empathy to her everyday practice.

Richard Daniels, PharmD, BCPS

Richard “Cole” Daniels earned his Doctor of Pharmacy(PharmD) from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana in 2018. Throughout pharmacy school he completed a 3-year internship at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana in which he gained valuable experience in an acute care setting. Cole currently serves as a psychiatric clinical staff pharmacist at the Montana State Hospital. He has over 11 years of pharmacy experience having worked in several settings including retail, acute care, and inpatient psychiatric care. Cole has a diverse set of interests. However, acute care medicine, infectious disease, pain management, and asthma/COPD are a primary focus of his at the Montana State Hospital. He obtained board certification as a certified pharmacotherapy specialist in the Spring of 2022.