Anticoagulants, antiplatelets, and statins in heart failure.

The existing guidelines for the treatment of patients who have heart failure limit the administration of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents to patients who have specific comorbidities, including coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, history of thromboembolic events, and left ventricular mural thrombus. Retrospective analyses of large clinical trials or smaller nonrandomized studies indicate that the use of statins may be beneficial both in ischemic and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. This article outlines the current knowledge regarding the use of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents and statins in patients who have heart failure.