title: Rest and the acutely ischaemic heart.
abstract: Although rest has largely been abandoned for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, there are strong theoretical arguments for using rest for restriction of myocardial ischaemic injury during the few hours after the onset when infarct size can be influenced by treatment. Rest (reduction of myocardial oxygen uptake) can be achieved (1) by reducing heart rate, (2) by reduction of contractility, (3) by reducing myocardial wall tension. All of these objectives are achieved by beta adrenoceptor blockade. Beta blockers have been shown to restrict infarct size experimentally and clinically. Their efficacy in reducing mortality and morbidity now needs to be assessed by large-scale clinical trial using intravenous beta blockers given within an hour or two of the onset of threatened or developing myocardial infarction.
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001510:Bed Rest; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D011433:Propranolol