Introduction: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is the most common diagnosis at admission in patients above 65 years. The introduction of ivabradine as a new medication is expected to cope with HF.

Aim: To assess the effect of ivabradine (Iv) after 6 months in patients with CHF NYHA class III-IV post hospitallization.

Materials: We followed 180 patients with CHF for 6 months in an out-patient program. Of them, 80 were in sinus rhythm (SR). The baseline and 6 months levels of NTproBNP, ejection fraction (EF), 6 min walking test (6MWT), NYHA functional class, and renal function were evaluated.

Results: Iv was initiated in 40.3% of patients with SR. After 6 months, the 6MWT improvedt (62.5 m in the Iv vs 23.5 m in the non-Iv group; p=0.043), NTproBNP reduced with median 680 pg/ml and 552,5 pg/ml (p=NS), respectively, and EF increased in Iv with 4.02% and decreased with 1.14% in non-Iv, p=0.06. After 6 months, 77% of the Iv patients were in class II, whereas only 45% of the controls were in class I-II (p=0.023).

Conclusions: Ivabradine in CHF leads to subjective improvement, increases the systolic function, improves the quality of life and functional NYHA class.