Final answer:
Black patients with class 3/4 heart failure may be treated with hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate in addition to standard treatments to alleviate symptoms and manage arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Black patients in class 3/4 heart failure can receive hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate in conjunction with standard therapy. Hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate combination is used to relieve heart failure symptoms, particularly when a patient isn't responding well to ACE inhibitors and diuretics. This combination also works on certain types of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias), including atrial fibrillation, which can commonly occur in patients with severe heart failure.
By contrast, other medications such as Atenolol (a beta blocker), Furosemide (a diuretic often used to treat symptoms of heart failure), and Digoxin (which slows the heart rate and increases the force of heart contractions) may also be used to manage heart failure, but the specific combination of hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate has been particularly noted for its effectiveness in the black patient population with advanced heart failure.