title: [Role of beta-blockers in the treatment of cardiac insufficiency].
abstract: Despite Beta-blockade therapy has been considered as an absolute contraindication in the treatment of heart failure, it has been shown that they could have a beneficial effect, provided that they were introduced at very low dose, and very progressively in addition of the traditional treatment. The advances in the understanding of the neuro-hormonal mechanisms of heart failure have modified the therapeutic strategy: the deleterious effect of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system on the myocardium has served as the rationale for randomized clinical trials comparing beta-blockade to placebo: the current data are promising, suggesting a beneficial effect on survival as well as on quality of life. However, these results have to be confirmed by larger trials, currently underway, before to consider that beta-blockade should definitely be incorporated in the treatment of heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, C.H.U. Saint-Pierre, U.L.B.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vandenbossche
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists