title: Adverse effects of beta-blockade withdrawal in patients with congestive cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Fifteen patients with congestive cardiomyopathy who had improved conspicuously on chronic administration of a beta-blocker were studied after withdrawal of the drug. In six patients there was a pronounced deterioration of their clinical condition, and in all of the remaining patients there was a significant decrease in ejection fraction, and signs of compromised diastolic function with pathological apex curves and an increase in third heart sound. All these changes were reversed within a few weeks to a few months after readministration of beta-blocking drugs. This study supports the idea that an aetiological factor in congestive cardiomyopathy may be a pathological response to sympathetic stimulation which could be partly controlled by administration of beta-blocking drugs.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists