title: Association between mortality and persistent use of beta blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and coronary artery disease.
abstract: Beta blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEIs/ARBs) are evidence-based medications for chronic heart failure, but little is known about the persistent use and clinical effectiveness of these medications. We evaluated the longer-term use of beta blockers and ACEIs/ARBs in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and coronary artery disease. Patients with an ejection fraction <40% and coronary artery disease who had a cardiac catheterization from April 1994 through December 2005 were identified. Long-term patterns of beta-blocker and ACEI/ARB use were categorized as persistent, new, previous, or no use based on information from routine follow-up surveys. Characteristics among medication-use groups were explored, and survival associated with persistent use was determined. Of 3,187 patients identified for the beta-blocker analysis, 1,339 (42.0%) had persistent use. Conditional on surviving for > or = 2 follow-up surveys, the adjusted risk of death was statistically significantly lower with persistent use versus no use (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65 to 0.82) and new use versus no use (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.97). Adjusted risk of death was not statistically significantly different between persistent or new use of an evidence-based beta blocker and persistent use of a nonevidence-based beta blocker (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.17). Of 3,166 patients identified for the ACEI/ARB analysis, 1,347 (42.5%) had persistent use. There was no statistically significant association between adjusted mortality and persistent use (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.05), new use (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.03), or previous use (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.07) compared with no ACEI/ARB use. In conclusion, persistent and new use of beta blockers was associated with survival, but evidence-based beta blockers did not appear superior to nonevidence-based beta blockers. We were unable to demonstrate a statistically significant association between persistent ACEI/ARB use and survival.
authors.affiliation: Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. allen003@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Allen LaPointe
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.forename: Adrian F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstrom
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017298:Bisoprolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077261:Carvedilol; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol; D008790:Metoprolol; D017298:Bisoprolol