title: [Beta blockers in heart failure therapy with special reference to the COPERNICUS Study].
abstract: During the past 15 years, the pathophysiological concept of heart failure as a neurohormonal disease has influenced heart failure therapy substantially. ACE-inhibitors have become the mainstay of heart failure therapy. In addition, beta blocker evolved to be effective in improving survival in this disease. Recently, the COPERNICUS study established the efficacy of carvedilol in severe heart failure and extended the benefits of this drug first observed in patients with mild and moderate symptoms to those with advanced disease. In this study, carvedilol resulted in a significant reduction of all-cause mortality and combined mortality and hospitalization, the frequency of hospitalizations, the risk of repeated hospitalizations, the number of days in hospital, the average duration of each admission and the utilization of treatments and procedures for heart failure. Carvedilol was well tolerated, improved the sense of well-being, was associated with a lower risk of a serious adverse event, particularly one related to the progression of heart failure and fewer patients requiring withdrawal of treatment for an adverse event. These favourable results were equally seen in all subgroups. Carvedilol treatment was even cost-effective in severe disease. Therefore, this new therapeutic option should be available to all patients with symptomatic systolic heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik II, Universitätsklinik Lübeck. hartmann@medinf.mu-luebeck.de
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Hugo A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Katus
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol