This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Reassessment

James F. Burris, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1993;153(18):2085-2092.

Abstract
Despite the strong association between hypertension and accelerated atherosclerosis, and the known beneficial clinical effects of β-blockers in patients with coronary artery disease, antihypertensive trials of β-blockers have shown only modest protection against fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction. This review explores the explanations put forth for this apparent failure of β-blockers. It also examines the clinical relevance of the metabolic effects of β-blockers within the framework of the heterogeneity of this class of drugs. Recent evidence indicates that long-term treatment of hypertension with β-blockers that do not possess intrinsic sympathomimetic activity reduces the occurrence of cardiac complications of hypertension. There are no data to show a quantified effect on clinical outcome of the lipid and glucose changes associated with β-blocker therapy. The metabolic influence of these drugs varies considerably within the class and may be of little clinical relevance. Unless it is contraindicated, an appropriate β-blocker should be considered for the treatment of hypertension in patients who have coronary artery disease or who are at high risk for coronary artery disease.

(Arch Intern Med. 1993;153:2085-2092)

Author Affiliations
From the Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

{beta}-Adrenergic growth regulation of human cancer cell lines derived from pancreatic ductal carcinomas
Weddle et al.
Carcinogenesis 2001;22:473-479.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Tobacco-specific Carcinogen 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone Is a {beta}-Adrenergic Agonist and Stimulates DNA Synthesis in Lung Adenocarcinoma via {beta}-Adrenergic Receptor-mediated Release of Arachidonic Acid
Schuller et al.
Cancer Res. 1999;59:4510-4515.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

National Patterns and Predictors of {beta}-Blocker Use in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Wang and Stafford
Arch Intern Med 1998;158:1901-1906.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Adverse Outcomes of Underuse of {beta}-Blockers in Elderly Survivors of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Soumerai et al.
JAMA 1997;277:115-121.
ABSTRACT