title: Novel use of a short-acting intravenous beta blocker in combination with inotropic therapy as a bridge to chronic oral beta blockade in patients with advanced heart failure.
abstract: The role for beta blockers in advanced heart failure (New York Heart Association class IV) remains undefined because of concerns about tolerability and uncertainty about efficacy. We report the use of a short-acting intravenous beta blocker in combination with inotropic therapy as a means to bridge five patients with advanced heart failure to chronic oral beta blockade; two of these patients had been chronically managed with intravenous inotrope. At 4 months' follow-up, all patients remained on beta-blocker therapy and none was hospitalized for heart failure or had received intravenous diuretics. Given the early separation of survival curves in the randomized clinical trials of beta blockers in heart failure, it is possible that these patients will accrue a survival benefit. We conclude that some patients with advanced heart failure can be offered oral beta-blocker therapy by bridging with a combination of intravenous inotrope and short-acting intravenous beta blocker.
authors.affiliation: Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA. Hauptmpj@slu.edu
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hauptman
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Marc R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Prirzker
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020105:Milrinone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol; D008790:Metoprolol; D020105:Milrinone; C036604:esmolol