They also promote heart function for those with cardiac dysfunction, or heart failure.
But there are several other heart disease treatments they want people to know about, too.
What Are Beta-Blockers and Why Are They Prescribed?
chapin31 / Getty Images.
Adrenaline causes the heart rate and breathing to speed up.
It also makes arteries constrict, or get smaller, which raises your blood pressure.
This effect is important after a heart attack, when the heart muscle surrounding the blockage is weakened.
However, research suggests beta-blockers do not always achieve this goal.
Each concluded that beta-blockers are not right for everyone.
Beta-Blockers After a Heart Attack
Two of the studies looked specifically atheart attackpatients.
The second study reviewed data from 262,972 patients who had their first heart attack between 2018 and 2023.
Of these patients, 80% had been prescribed beta-blockers after their heart attacks.
It refers to the percentage of blood pumped out of the hearts lower chambers with each beat.
A low EF can indicate heart failure, but it is not present in all heart failure patients.
The researchers also concluded there was no survival benefit to beta-blockers in patients with an EF above 60%.
What Does This Mean For the Future of Heart Disease Care?
The decision to continue beta-blockers can be nuanced, and requires a discussion between the patient and provider.
Someone who is physically active may be more sensitive to being on a beta-blocker.
Beta-blockers are only one class of medication used to treat heart failure.
In addition to beta-blockers, a cardiologist may recommend:
Professional guidelines continue to be updated.
The goal is to get all four classes of drugs on board, even if at lower doses.
What This Means For You
Beta-blockers remain important medications for patients whose hearts do not function optimally.
Do not stop any medications without speaking to your provider first.
2015;7(2):52-64. doi:10.4330/wjc.v7.i2.52
American Heart Association.Ejection fraction heart failure measurement.
Published online May 1, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jchf.2023.03.017
