title: Bisoprolol for congestive heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  beta-Blockers are a cornerstone in the treatment of systolic heart failure treatment, but not all beta-blockers are effective or in this setting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To define the role of bisoprolol, a highly selective beta(1)-antagonist in congestive heart failure due to systolic dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the keywords 'bisoprolol' and 'heart failure' PubMed and BIOSIS databases were searched for information regarding pharmacology and relevant randomised clinical trials. Supplementary publications were acquired by scrutinising reference lists of relevant papers. Additional information was obtained from the FDA website.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bisoprolol is an effective and well-tolerated first-line beta-blocker for patients with systolic heart failure. The knowledge is primarily based on study patients with moderate-to-severe heart failure from the three CIBIS trials.
authors.affiliation: Research Fellow Frederiksberg University Hospital, Cardiology Department, Nordre Fasanvej 57-59, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. cor@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Finn
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017298:Bisoprolol / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D017298:Bisoprolol