Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitor Prescribing Patterns in Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure

Importance Angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibition (ARNI) improves mortality among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), ie, those with an EF of 40% or less. Objective To describe national longitudinal trends in ARNI prescribing patterns among hospitalized patients with HFrEF. Design, Setting, and Participants Using data from the Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) registry, hospitalized patients with HFrEF at 614 participating hospitals were identified. Rates of ARNI, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) prescription at discharge were evaluated across 3 time periods. Adjusted logistic regression and piecewise logistic regression were used to evaluate the impact of publication dates on ARNI prescription rates. Exposures ARNI prescribing patterns in hospitalized patients with HFrEF. Main Outcomes and Measures Rates of ARNI, ACEI, and ARB prescription at discharge were evaluated across 3 time periods as follows: (1) period 1 included the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of sacubitril-valsartan to the day before the PIONEER-HF (Comparison of Sacubitril-Valsartan vs Enalapril on Effect on N-Terminal Pro–Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Patients Stabilized From an Acute Heart Failure Episode) trial publication (July 7, 2015-November 10, 2018); (2) period 2 included the day of the PIONEER-HF trial publication to the day before publication of the 2021 Update to the 2017 Consensus for Optimization of Heart Failure Treatment (November 11, 2018-January 10, 2021); and (3) period 3 included the day of the 2021 update publication to the last available data at the time of analysis (January 11, 2021-December 31, 2022). Results A total of 114 333 hospitalized patients (mean [IQR] age, 67.0 [57.0-78.0] years; 74 765 male [65.4%]) were included in this study. Rates of ARNI prescribed at discharge increased from 1.1% (27 of 2451) during July 7, 2015, to September 30, 2015, to 55.4% (1957 of 3536) during October 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. ACEI or ARB prescription at discharge fell from 88.3% (2612 of 2957) to 45.9% (2033 of 4434) over the same period, whereas ACEI, ARB, or ARNI prescription increased from 71.1% (2639 of 3713) to 84.7% (3990 of 4711). In adjusted logistic regression models, compared with period 1, patients discharged during period 2 and period 3 were found to have a 3.81-fold (95% CI, 3.65-3.98) and 9.15-fold (95% CI, 8.79-9.52) increased odds of ARNI prescription at discharge, and a 0.46 (95% CI, 0.45-0.48) and 0.25 (95% CI, 0.24-0.26) decreased odds of ACEI or ARB prescription at discharge. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this cross-sectional study reveal that in the 7 years after FDA drug approval of sacubitril-valsartan, rates of ARNI or ACEI, ARB, or ARNI prescription at discharge increased, and rates of ACEI or ARB prescription decreased. Overall prescription of ARNI at discharge was 55.4% in eligible patients at the end of the study, suggesting remaining opportunity for continued improvement in ARNI prescription.