Midodrine in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction With Hypotension (MIDOH-HF-P)

Midodrine in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction With Hypotension: A Pilot, Open-label, Randomized Controlled Trial

The evidence-based pharmacologic treatments available for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has been established over the last few decades of cardiovascular research. These treatments, termed Foundational Guideline-Directed-Medical Therapies (GDMT), prolong patient life, improve patient-reported symptoms, and reduce hospitalizations for heart failure. A direct effect of most medication classes encompassed within GDMT is the reduction in blood pressure due to their mechanisms of action. In addition, as patients with HFrEF become more advanced in their disease, a significant proportion develop hypotension related to pump failure and autonomic dysfunction, amongst other possible mechanisms. As a result, a significant proportion of HFrEF patients are not optimized on GDMT with hypotension as their limiting barrier that would otherwise have served to improve their heart function, heart failure symptoms, and mortality. Currently, there does not exist any evidence-based strategies to address the problem of hypotension in HFrEF patients who are not optimized on GDMT.

Midodrine is an alpha-adrenergic agonist (α1-AR) that exerts its effects on peripheral venous and arteriolar vasculature to increase blood pressure. This medication has been used off-label by some clinicians in the hypotensive HFrEF population to increase blood pressure and has been reported to have beneficial effects in improving GDMT utilization as well as increasing left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in published case reports/case series. There does not exist any randomized prospective data on the use of midodrine in the hypotensive HFrEF population. The investigators' objective is to complete the first open-label, randomized control trial of midodrine in the hypotensive HFrEF population to demonstrate feasibility in performing a trial in this patient population and to show efficacy in increasing blood pressure without associated harm. The results of this trial will be used as the foundation and rationale for future studies assessing the impact of midodrine use on GDMT utilization as well as hard cardiovascular outcomes in the hypotensive HFrEF population, including hospitalizations for heart failure and mortality.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Hypotension; Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction; LV Dysfunction
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Midodrine Oral Tablet

Detailed Description

This will be a pilot, open-label, randomized controlled trial with the intervention/treatment being midodrine in hospitalized patients with HFrEF. The comparator/control arm will be patients following standard of care, which is to undergo no further pharmacologic intervention directed at hypotension unless clinically indicated. Patients who meet inclusion criteria will be randomized (1:1) to either midodrine group or control group, which will occur at the time of recruitment. In the treatment group, patients will receive midodrine for a total planned duration of up to 5 days, or until hospital discharge, whichever comes first. The midodrine will initially be started at 2.5 mg po TID for 1 day, followed by 5.0 mg po TID x 1 day, 7.5 mg po TID x 1 day, and 10 mg po TID x 2 days. Side effects reported by patients and any adverse drug events will be documented. At the end of the inpatient study period, continuation of midodrine off-label will be at the treating clinician's discretion in the treatment arm.

For patients discharged home less than 1 week from the exposure period, patients will be followed for 2 weeks with the Telehome monitoring program (THM), which is a virtual outpatient service intended to closely follow heart failure patients, to monitor blood pressure, heart rate, weight and adverse events or side effects. For patients discharged home between 1 to 2 weeks from the exposure period, they will be followed for 1 week with THM. For patients discharged after 2 or more weeks from the exposure period, no THM follow-up will occur. Frequency of THM follow-up, as well as inpatient monitoring parameters is as outlined in the "Data Capture" section.

Key clinical measurements will be obtained in both treatment and control arms including blood pressure measurements (every 6 hours while awake, with each measurement in the treatment arm consisting of BP measured 1 hour after the administration of midodrine dose and in the supine position. For patients in the control arm, a similar frequency of blood pressures will be obtained at pre-specified times), NT-proBNP at the time of recruitment (Day 0, prior to administration of midodrine in treatment arm) and after 5 days (ie. Sample obtained at time of last dose at Day 4 or at Day 5) or hospital discharge (whichever comes first). Safety outcomes will be monitored for and assessed. The study will be open-label and neither the patient nor the treating physicians will be blinded in this study.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 56
• Phase: Phase 2; Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Lisa M Mielniczuk, MD; Phone Number: 6136967274; Email: lmielniczuk@ottawaheart.ca
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Shihab Sarwar, MD; Email: ssarwar@ottawaheart.ca

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults >= 18 years of age.
• LVEF <= 40 % within the last 3 months as determined by any one of: Transthoracic echocardiogram, transesophageal echocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, MUGA scan, angiogram with left ventriculogram.
• AHA/ACC Stage B or C Heart Failure
• Hospitalized patients in the ward setting OR in the cardiac intensive care unit (who are >= 48 hours after their last dose of vasopressor or inotrope).
• Seated upright or supine SBP <= 100 mmHg on two or more consecutive BP measurements separated by at least 8 hours

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient OR substitute decision-maker (SDM) unwilling or unable to provide informed consent
• Documented allergy or intolerance to midodrine
• Treatment for active infection (either documented infection or empiric treatment) with antimicrobials at the time of recruitment.
• Current use OR any use within the last 48 hours of an intravenous inotrope or vasopressor medication OR the need for IV inotrope or vasoproessor use to treat hypotension
• Patient within 72 hours of an acute coronary syndrome.
• Heart transplant recipient.
• Presence of temporary or durable mechanical circulatory support device.
• Severe valvular disease expected to be intervened upon during the incident hospitalization.
• Hyperkalemia >= 5.5 mmol/L.
• Baseline eGFR (as calculated by the CKD-EPI method) <= 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 as measured within the last 3 months.
• A treatable cause for hypotension, including but not limited to: hypovolemia (eg. Bleeding, overdiuresis, poor oral intake), obstructive shock, sepsis, adrenal insufficiency.
• Clinical diagnosis of ongoing cardiogenic shock, or diagnosed as defined in SHOCK trial: sBP <= 90 mmHg with evidence of end-organ hypoperfusion (cool extremities, urine output < 30 mL/hr, HR > 60 bpm, or elevated lactate >=3.5 mmol/L), invasive hemodynamic measurements (if available) of CI <= 2.2 L/min/m2 and a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) of >=15 mmHg.
• Pregnant patient.
• Anticipated patient discharge in less than two days from enrolment (ie. less than 6 anticipated doses of midodrine, if randomized to treatment/intervention arm).
• Acute brain pathology (including, but not limited to intracranial hemorrhage or hematoma) in which most-responsible clinician deems it unsafe to augment blood pressure.
• Untreated thyrotoxicosis
• Acute or acute on chronic liver failure
• Patient unable to take oral medications
• Bradycardia with resting heart rate less than 50 beats per minute.
• Patients on an equivalent dose of Lasix >= 80 mg IV BID

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Midodrine treatment; Patients randomized to receive midodrine for up to 5 days in hospital at escalating doses starting at 2.5 mg po TID x 1 day, 5.0 mg po TID x 1 day, 7.5 mg po TID x 1 day, 10 mg po TID x 2 days. Patients may be discharged from hospital prior to completion of the full 5 day protocol. All patients in the midodrine treatment arm will receive otherwise usual standard of care treatments.	Drug: Midodrine Oral Tablet; Exposure to up to 5 days of midodrine (or until hospital discharge) in hospital at escalating doses with the following protocol: 2.5 mg po TID x 1 day, 5.0 mg po TID x 1 day, 7.5 mg po TID x 1 day, 10 mg po TID x 2 days.; Other Names: Midodrine hydrochloride
No Intervention: Control; Patients randomized to the control arm will receive usual standard of care treatments without addition of midodrine.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Enrollment rate	Number of participants enrolled per week	From the date of enrolment of the first study participant, to the date of enrolment of up to 56 patients, assessed up to a maximum of 80 weeks (20 months)
Percent enrollment	Number of participants enrolled divided by number screened eligible	From the date of enrolment of the first study participant, to the date of enrolment of up to 56 patients, assessed up to a maximum of 80 weeks (20 months)
Randomization proportion	Number of participants randomized divided by number of participants enrolled	From the date of enrolment of the first study participant, to the date of enrolment of up to 56 patients, assessed up to a maximum of 80 weeks (20 months)
Percentage of protocol completion	Number of participants completing the study protocol divided by the number of participants randomized.	From the date of enrolment of the first study participant, to the date of enrolment of up to 56 patients, assessed up to a maximum of 80 weeks (20 months)
Percentage lost to follow-up	Number of participants lost to follow-up divided by number of participants randomized.	From the date of enrolment of the first study participant, to the date of enrolment of up to 56 patients, assessed up to a maximum of 80 weeks (20 months)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
SBP at baseline compared to Day 4 or hospital discharge if earlier	Measurement of systolic blood pressure averaged over at least two measurements per day at study enrolment compared to average systolic blood pressure averaged over at least three measures on Day 4, or hospital discharge if earlier. The measurement is numerical difference in systolic blood pressure averages (mmHg). Blood pressure measurements are both supine lying measurements.	Measures from time of enrolment (Day -1 or 0) and Day 4, or hospital discharge if earlier
Proportion of patients achieving sBP > 105 mmHg on Day 4 or hospital discharge if earlier	Measurement of systolic blood pressure averaged over at least three measures on Day 4, or hospital discharge if earlier. The measurement is numerical percentage. Blood pressure measurements are both supine lying measurements.	Measurement from Day 4 of study protocol, or hospital discharge if earlier
DBP at baseline compared to Day 4 or hospital discharge if earlier	Measurement of diastolic blood pressure averaged over at least two measurements per day at study enrolment compared to average diastolic blood pressure averaged over at least three measures on Day 4, or hospital discharge if earlier. The measurement is numerical difference in diastolic blood pressure averages (mmHg). Blood pressure measurements are both supine lying measurements.	Measures from time of enrolment (Day -1 or 0) and Day 4, or hospital discharge if earlier
NT-proBNP at baseline compared to Day 4 or hospital discharge if earlier.	Measurement of NT-proBNP blood test at baseline at time of study enrolment minus the measurement of NT-proBNP at Day 4 of the study protocol, or hospital discharge if earlier.	Measures from time of enrolment (Day -1, or earlier if available) and Day 4, or hospital discharge if earlier
Time from randomization to hospital discharge (days).	Date of hospital discharge subtracted by date of study randomization, expressed in days.	From the date of participant randomization to the date of discharge from hospital (to home, rehabilitation or transitional institution, long-term care/nursing home), up to 4 weeks.
Hypotension events with SBP<80 mmHg within 48 hours of discontinuation of midodrine not attributable to other reversible causes	Blood pressure event is recorded with systolic blood pressure < 80 mmHg during the study protocol in patients on midodrine where the team involved within the participants clinical circle of care do not have other attributable reversible causes.	From time of study Day 4 (or last day of midodrine exposure) up to 48 hours after last exposure.
Number of GDMT drugs at any dosage	Average number of Guideline Directed Medical Therapy medications for HFrEF (of the following medication classes: (1) ACEi/ARB/ARNI, (2)Beta-blocker, (3) Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist, (4) SGLT2i) in the midodrine group and control groups.	Days 0, 4 (or hospital discharge if earlier), and at up to 4 weeks (Day 27) at the end of the protocol..
Number of GDMT drugs at >= 50% of goal trial dosages as outlined in clinical practice guidelines	Average number of Guideline Directed Medical Therapy medications for HFrEF (of the following medication classes: (1) ACEi/ARB/ARNI, (2)Beta-blocker, (3) Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist, (4) SGLT2i) at >=50% of goal trial dosages as outlined in the CCS/CHFS 2021 HFrEF guidelines in the midodrine group and control groups.	Days 0, 4 (or hospital discharge if earlier), and at up to 4 weeks (Day 27) at the end of the protocol..
Heart Failure Collaboratory(HFC) score	Heart Failure Collaboratory score calculated in the midodrine and control groups. Minimum 0, Maximum 8, with higher scores reflecting better outcomes.	Days 0, 4 (or hospital discharge if earlier), and at up to 4 weeks (Day 27) at the end of the protocol..
Number of hospital re-admissions within 4 weeks of inpatient exposure period	Number of hospital admissions in the timeframe specified in both midodrine and control groups.	From time of study Day 0 to 28 days (inclusive) after inpatient exposure period (up to five days).
Number of hospitalizations for heart failure within 4 weeks of inpatient exposure period	Number of hospital admissions for heart failure in the timeframe specified in both midodrine and control groups.	From time of study Day 0 to 28 days (inclusive) after inpatient exposure period (up to five days).
Number of deaths within 4 weeks of protocol completion	Number of deaths in the timeframe specified in both midodrine and control groups.	From time of study Day 0 to 28 days (inclusive) after inpatient exposure period (up to five days).
Heart rate	Heart rate average measurement at baseline at time of enrolment and Day 4 (or hospital discharge if earlier) in both midodrine and control groups.	Physiologic parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Sodium laboratory value	Blood test. Units in mmol/L.	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Potassium laboratory value	Blood test. Units in mmol/L.	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Chloride laboratory value	Blood test. Units in mmol/L.	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Bicarbonate (HCO3) laboratory value	Blood test. Units in mmol/L.	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Urea laboratory value	Blood test. Units in mmol/L.	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Creatinine laboratory value	Blood test. Units in micromol/L (umol/L)	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Alanine Transaminase (ALT) laboratory value	Blood test. Units in U/L (Units/L)	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Aspartate Transaminase (AST) laboratory value	Blood test. Units in U/L (Units/L)	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) laboratory value	Blood test. Units in U/L (Units/L)	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.
Total Bilirubin (TBili) laboratory value	Blood test. Units in micromol/L (umol/L).	Biochemical parameters at baseline and Day 4 (if available) or hospital discharge if earlier.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of serious adverse events after initiation of midodrine.	Defined as any untoward medical occurrence that: Results in death; Is life-threatening; Requires in patient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization; Results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity (i.e. a substantial disruption in an individual's ability to conduct normal life functions); Is a congenital anomaly or birth defect; Other medically important condition that, based on medical judgment, may jeopardize the patient, and may require medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the outcomes listed above	At Day 0 (or hospital discharge if earlier) up to 48 hours after last dose of midodrine
Midodrine intolerance	Intolerance defined as the percentage of patients that needed to stop taking midodrine due to any AE or SAE, or other reasons as indicated by the patient.	At Day 0 to Day 4 (or hospital discharge if earlier).
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) reported after initiating midodrine	Supine hypertension (SBP>160 mmHg); New bradycardia (if HR < 50 bpm); Genitourinary symptoms (Increased urinary frequency, retention, incomplete emptying, dysuria); Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea); Pilomotor reaction; Paresthesia; Pruritis; Chills; Worsening pain (including headache); Rash; Other	At Day 0 (or hospital discharge if earlier) up to 48 hours after last dose of midodrine

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: :Lisa M Mielniczuk, MD, Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 25, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 6, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 8, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 30, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 29, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Heart Failure; Midodrine; GDMT
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Diseases; Ventricular Dysfunction; Heart Failure; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left; Hypotension; Organic Chemicals; Amines; Alcohols; Amino Alcohols; Ethanolamines; Midodrine
• Other Study ID Numbers: 5784

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Deidentified IPD will be made available upon request to qualified researchers requesting the data for scientific analysis.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes