Tolvaptan for the treatment of hyponatremia and congestive heart failure.

Tolvaptan is an oral, once-daily nonpeptide arginine vasopressin V(2)-receptor antagonist under development for the treatment of hyponatremia and congestive heart failure. In Phase II clinical trials, tolvaptan, in addition to standard therapy, increased fluid loss, resulting in decreased body weight and improved edema and serum sodium without affecting blood pressure, heart rate or renal function in patients with heart failure. The compound appeared to be well tolerated and dose-dependent adverse events were generally realated to its pharmacological activity, such as thirst and dry mouth. In patients with hyponatremia, tolvaptan appears to be more effective than fluid restriction at improving sodium levels without an increase in adverse events. An international Phase III outcome study; Efficacy of Vasopressin antagonism in hEaRt failurE outcome Study with Tolvaptan (EVEREST), evaluating the long-term efficacy and safety of tolvaptan in patients hospitalized with worsening heart failure, is currently ongoing.