The Scottish Medical Consortium (SMC) has completed its assessment of ivabradine (Procoralan) and has advised NHS Boards and Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees that it has been accepted for restricted use within NHS Scotland in patients with chronic heart failure.

Its clinical use is, initially, only indicated for chronic heart failure patients with systolic dysfunction, a New York score (NYHA) of II to IV, who are in sinus rhythm and whose heart rate is 75 beats per minute or more.

Ivabradine acts to slow heart rate by selectively and specifically inhibiting/blocking the action of the bod's own natural cardiac pacemaker.
It is also licensed for the symptomatic treatment of chronic stable angina in adults with coronary artery disease.
Ivabradine provides another treatment option to slow heart rate in patients with heart failure.

The National Institute for Clinical Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising the use of ivabradine (Procoralan) as a treatment option for some people with chronic heart failure.

Source:  SMC ;  NICE