RECOVER-AUTONOMIC clinical trial results shared at 2026 ACC Conference

Ivabradine lowered heart rate but did not improve long COVID symptoms in a trial of 181 adults with POTS, though patients who also received coordinated care fared better.

The NIH-funded RECOVER-AUTONOMIC trial tested ivabradine, a heart rate-lowering drug, in 181 adults with long COVID-related postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Results were presented at the American College of Cardiology Annual Conference on March 28, 2026.

Ivabradine produced a significant reduction in heart rate compared with placebo, but that change did not translate into symptom improvement. Participants who received coordinated care alongside treatment reported better outcomes than those receiving ivabradine with usual care.

The finding points toward comprehensive, coordinated management rather than the drug alone as the more useful lever for long COVID-related POTS.