Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a common cause for admission within
the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System.
It is associated with severe impairment of physical and mental health status and carries a
high risk of mortality. Even though significant progress has been made in understanding the
disease process, currently, its management and treatment is limited.
The investigators have discovered that a commonly used drug for the treatment of gout can be
repurposed for the treatment of HFrEF.
The objective of this study is the treatment of outpatient Veterans with HFrEF with
probenecid to improve heart and health function. Specifically, the investigators are testing
whether oral probenecid administered orally twice per day for 180 days improves heart
function as measured via ultrasound of the heart (aim 1); improves exercise capacity (aim 2);
and improves self-report heart failure specific health status as measured via questionnaires
(aim 3).