title: beta-blockers reduce the incidence of cardiac events in post-myocardial infarction patients.
abstract: The capacity of beta-blockers to prevent cardiac events in post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients was investigated. Among 1,483 study participants, a beta-blocker was included in the therapeutic regimens of 833 (beta-blocker group) and was omitted from the regimens of 650 (control group). The incidence of cardiac events (recurrent MI, sudden death and death by congestive heart failure) during a follow up period of 17.4 +/- 20.9 months was retrospectively compared between the two groups. Cardiac events occurred in 27 (3.2%) members of the beta-blocker group and in 44 (6.8%) controls, which represents a significant decline in the incidence of cardiac events among patients administered beta-blockers (p < 0.01, odds ratio 0.46, 95 % confidence intervals 0.28-0.75). Subgroup and multivariate analyses showed beta-blockers to be as efficacious in Japanese post-MI patients as was previously shown in Western patients. While these findings are compelling, it is clear that confirmation in a large, multicenter, placebo - controlled, randomized clinical trial, analogous to those that have been carried out in Western countries, is necessary.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medicine, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyataka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanamasa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yabushita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitayama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taniwa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists