The effects of long-term beta-blockade on the ventilatory responses to exercise in chronic heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic heart failure (CHF) patients complain of breathlessness and fatigue. Beta-blockers improve symptoms, echocardiograpahic variables and prognosis in CHF, but their effect on exercise capacity remains unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the effects of long-term beta-blocker therapy on metabolic gas exchange variables and ventilation during exercise in CHF patients.


METHODS
42 patients with symptomatic heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction 33.2 (8.2)) on loop diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II antagonists, underwent exercise testing with metabolic gas exchange. They were then initiated onto and uptitrated to the maximum tolerated dose of beta-blockers. After 1 year of follow-up, patients were invited back for repeat testing.


RESULTS
35 patients attended for repeat exercise testing. Four patients had died, and three had not tolerated beta-blockade. After 1 year, exercise time was increased (487 (221) vs. 500 (217), p<0.05), and peak oxygen consumption and V(E)/V(CO(2)) slope were unchanged (20.9 (5.0) vs. 20.0 (5.4), p=0.15 and 36.7 (8.3) vs. 37.3 (7.8), p=0.70). Peak ventilation, (61.5 (12.9) vs. 57.1 (13.4), p<0.05), peak carbon dioxide production (1629 (404) vs. 1496 (375), p<0.02) and hence respiratory exchange ratio (1.02 (0.08) vs. 0.98 (0.06) p<0.02) and p<0.05) were reduced. Submaximal oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were lower at matched workloads. The slope relating symptoms to ventilation (Borg/V(E) slope) was less steep following beta-blockade (0.18 (0.09) vs. 0.15 (0.06), p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Long term beta-blocker therapy increases exercise time but not peak oxygen consumption, and reduces peak carbon dioxide production. CHF patients are less symptomatic for a given ventilation during exercise following beta-blocker treatment.
Witte
Klaus K A
KK
Academic Cardiology, Castle Hill Hospital, Castle Road, Cottingham Hull HU16 5JQ, UK. klauswitte@hotmail.com
Thackray
Simon
S
Nikitin
Nikolay P
NP
Cleland
John G F
JG
Clark
Andrew L
AL
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000368:Aged; D017298:Bisoprolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D005080:Exercise Test; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol; D017298:Bisoprolol