title: A review of ongoing trials of beta blockers in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.
abstract: Ten randomized clinical trials of beta-blocking drugs in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease are reviewed. The six trials of long-term treatment involving three drugs have completed recruitment; the results should be reported during the next few years. In addition to the possibility of confirming the positive results from other trials, the findings may provide further information on the timing of treatment initiation and the mechanism of benefit. Three of the four trials concerned with the efficacy of beta blockers in the early acute phase of myocardial infarction are still recruiting. Two of these (the Prehospital Myocardial Infarction Study and the International Study of Infarct Survival) are large trials aiming to determine the effect on mortality from all causes. The third (Multicenter Investigation of the Limitation of Infarct Size) has infarct size as the primary end point, as does the one trial with completed follow-up (Belfast), whose preliminary findings indicate no effect on threatened infarction.
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists