title: [Beta blockers in the treatment of heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction].
abstract: It is well established now that beta-blockers are an important treatment of heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. It has been shown that this drugs counteract the negative effects of sympathetic stimulation on the myocardium (myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and ischemia arythmogenic effect, increase of cardiac loading, apoptosis). Many big trials as CIBIS-II, MERIT-HF and CAPRICORN show that Bisoprolol, Metropolol and Carvedilol decrease the hospitalization rate due to heart failure, improve the functional status and increase the survival rate of patients in class II, Ill and IV. However, beta-blockers are not always safe and there use must be guided by some rules: respect of contra-indications (asthma, severe bradycardia, second or third atrio-ventricular block, arterial hypotension), initiation after 2 or 4 weeks of clinical stability, low initial doses with an increase every 2 or 4 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Médecine, Pharmacie, Odontostomatologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar.
authors.forename: Abdoul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists