Beta blocker prescribing differences in patients with and without diabetes following a first myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
To document the prescribed usage of beta blockers in patients with and without diabetes mellitus discharged from hospital following a first myocardial infarction.


METHODS
All patients with diabetes and a group of patients matched for age and sex without diabetes, admitted with a documented first myocardial infarction during the period 1995-1999 at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK were audited.


RESULTS
Data were available on 201 patients with diabetes and 199 patients without diabetes. No significant differences existed between the diabetic and non-diabetic groups for age and sex. Twenty-three per cent of patients with diabetes were prescribed a beta blocker compared to 52% of non-diabetic patients (P < 0.01). Patients with diabetes had a higher frequency of perceived contraindications than patients without diabetes (36 vs. 27%, P < 0.001). Thirty-five per cent of patients with diabetes and 18% of non-diabetic patients had no contraindication to the use of beta blocker but were not prescribed one (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Although beta blockers can provide useful benefits in patients with diabetes following a myocardial infarction, this study suggests that a significant proportion of patients with diabetes and without a contraindication to treatment are still not receiving beta blockers after myocardial infarction.
Younis
N
N
Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospital, Liverpool, UK. naveedy@tinyonline.co.uk
Burnham
P
P
Patwala
A
A
Weston
P J
PJ
Vora
J P
JP
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017211:Treatment Failure
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists