Beta blockers: More evidence of potential
Once again, this inexpensive therapy proves itself in clinical trials. It’s so effective, writes Stephen Gottlieb, MD, that it should be part of routine after-care for nearly every heart attack patient. Gottlieb is from the department of Medicine at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
The study reviewed the long-term administration of beta blockers to myocardial infarction (MI) patients with conditions generally considered as contraindications for the therapy, advanced age, pulmonary disease, diabetes, or low blood pressure.
Those who received the medication had a 40% lower mortality rate than those who left the hospital without a prescription. In fact, only 34% of the sample were actually discharged with a beta blocker prescription.
"This finding is consistent with the results of previous studies that have shown low rates of use of beta blockers for young, ideal’ candidates," the investigators write.
The number of patient records studied was 201,752. The sample was risk- and age-adjusted. More than half were younger than 75; 71,426 were 75 to 84; and 23,830 were 85 and older.
The researchers note that their analysis confirms previous studies and "extends the evidence of the benefit of beta-blockade to groups not previous evaluated."
For details, see: Gottlieb SS, McCarter RJ, Vogel RA. Effect of beta-blockade on mortality among high-risk and low-risk patients after myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 1998; 339:489-497.
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