title: Should beta-blockers be stopped if myocardial ischaemia occurs?
abstract: 56 patients who were taking a long-term beta-blocker, and in whom myocardial ischaemia occurred, were randomised to stop or to continue the drug. Assessed in terms of deaths, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, further myocardial ischaemia and arrhythmias (except atrial fibrillation), the outcome did not differ significantly in the two groups. We found no evidence in this small series that either maintaining or stopping beta-blockers after an episode of myocardial ischaemia significantly alters the short-term prognosis of chronically beta-blocked patients.
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D012769:Shock / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists