β blockers are routinely used in patients with heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction in sinus rhythm. However, the benefits of β blockers in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) are not clear. This study aims to assess the risk of mortality associated with the use of β blockers in patients with MI without heart failure.
This multicenter prospective cohort study included a total of 2,679 consecutive patients with MI and without heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction. The early use of β blockers was analyzed. The primary outcome of the study was the risk of mortality at 30 days associated with the early use of β blockers.
Of 2,679 patients, 2,050 (77%) reported early use of β blockers prescribed at discharge by 80% and currently under use in 89%. The findings suggested that 30-day mortality was lower in patients taking β blockers (hazard ratio 0.46, the hazard ratio for one-year mortality: 0.77). It was further discovered that the persistence of β Blockers at one year was not associated with lower 5-year mortality.
The research concluded that the use of β Blockers was associated with reduced 30-day mortality in patients with MI without heart failure.
Ref: https://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i4801
