Open AccessCardioprotection: The Role of β‐Blocker Therapy
Author(s) -
Egan Brent M.,
Basile Jan,
Chilton Robert J.,
Cohen Jerome D.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
the journal of clinical hypertension
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1751-7176
pISSN - 1524-6175
DOI - 10.1111/j.1524-6175.2005.04486.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cardioprotection , pharmacology , intensive care medicine , ischemia
Randomized controlled clinical trials document that β blockers reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly sudden death, in patients with hypertension, heart failure, and post‐myocardial infarction. The benefits of β blockers extend across the boundaries of age, gender, and ethnicity, and include diabetic patients with heart failure and/or previous myocardial infarction. Unfortunately, β blockers remain underutilized in many high‐risk patients who would likely benefit from their use. This paper reviews the protective role of β blockade in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events and examines some of the potential barriers to appropriate β blocker use in patients with compelling indications.