Vericiguat Therapy Is Associated with Reverse Myocardial Remodeling in Chronic Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

Bajec, Tine (author), Žorž, Neža (author), Ugovšek, Sabina (author), Zemljič, Gregor (author), Cerar, Andraž (author), Frljak, Sabina (author), Okrajšek, Renata (author), Girandon Sušanj, Petra (author), Šebeštjen, Miran (author), Vrtovec, Bojan (author), Poglajen, Gregor (author)

Background and aims: Vericiguat lowers cardiovascular death or heart-failure hospitalization in recently worsened heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but its effects on cardiac remodeling are less well characterized. Our aim was to evaluate whether the addition of vericiguat to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) promotes reverse myocardial remodeling in patients with HFrEF and recent worsening. Methods: We conducted a prospective, non-randomized, single-center study enrolling 34 consecutive patients with HFrEF who had experienced recent worsening and were on stable GDMT for at least 3 months prior to decompensation. Clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic assessments were performed at baseline and at 6 months. Results: A total of 24 patients completed the 6-month follow-up (mean age 63 ± 9 years; 92% male), 96% of whom were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV. After 6 months of vericiguat therapy, right ventricular systolic function improved significantly, with an increase in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) from 18.5 ± 4.3 mm to 21.4 ± 4.8 mm (p = 0.003). Left ventricular systolic function improved, with a numerical increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (30.1 ± 5.9% to 32.2 ± 10.5%; p = 0.122) and a significant increase in left ventricular outflow tract velocity-time integral (LVOT VTI) (14.8 ± 3.7 cm to 16.1 ± 3.8 cm; p = 0.011). Functional improvements were accompanied by structural remodeling, including reductions in right ventricular internal diameter in diastole (RVIDd) (40.5 ± 5.8 mm to 37.9 ± 6.9 mm; p = 0.002) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) (144.0 ± 40.3 mL to 132.4 ± 61.0 mL; p = 0.031). N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels also decreased significantly (median 1829.0 ng/mL to 1241.0 ng/mL; p = 0.03). Conclusions: In patients with HFrEF and recent worsening, the addition of vericiguat to GDMT may be associated with reverse myocardial remodeling.

• Language: English
• Keywords: heart failure, myocardial reverse remodeling, soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 1, art. 17
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179509
• UDC: 616.1
• ISSN on article: 2308-3425
• DOI: 10.3390/jcdd13010017
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268104195
• Publication date in RUL: 16.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of cardiovascular development and disease
• Shortened title: J. cardiovasc. dev. dis.
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2308-3425
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523193113

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: srčno popuščanje, reverzno preoblikovanje miokarda, topni stimulator gvanilat ciklaze

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P3-0457
• Name: Nove strategije diagnostike in zdravljenja srčnega popuščanja