title: Role of beta blockade in the treatment of myocardial ischemia.
abstract: A number of antianginal drugs and therapeutic strategies are now available for the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial ischemia. Of the available antianginal drugs, beta blockers appear to be most effective in suppressing myocardial ischemia. The superior anti-ischemic efficacy of beta blockers can be explained by their beneficial actions on hemodynamic parameters, vasomotion, and platelet function. Compared with other anti-ischemic drugs, beta blockers appear to be more efficacious in reducing the magnitude of myocardial ischemia during routine daily activities. In addition, the results of recent studies indicate that treatment with beta blockers not only suppresses myocardial ischemia, but also improves the clinical outcome in patients with CAD. These beneficial effects, along with the well-demonstrated cardioprotective effects of beta blockade in the postinfarction period, clearly suggest that this class of anti-ischemic drugs is an ideal therapeutic choice in most patients with CAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Deedwania
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Carbajal
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists