Beta-blockers and health-related quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial disease and COPD.
BACKGROUND
Beta-blockers are frequently withheld in patients with cardiovascular disease who also have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of concerns that they might provoke bronchospasm and cause deterioration in health status. Although beta1-selective beta-blockers are associated with reduced mortality in COPD patients, their effects on health status are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between beta-blockers and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with peripheral arterial disease and COPD.


METHODS
Of the original cohort of 3371 vascular surgery patients, 1310 had COPD of whom 469 survived during long-term follow-up. These COPD patients were sent the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health-related quality of life questionnaire, which was completed and returned by 326 (70%) patients.


RESULTS
No significant differences in any of the SF-36 domains were observed between COPD patients who did and did not use beta-blockers (p > 0.05 for all). Furthermore, beta-blockers were not associated with any impairment in HRQOL among patients with COPD.


CONCLUSIONS
Beta-blockers had no material impact on the HRQOL of patients with peripheral arterial disease who also had COPD. This suggests that beta-blockers can, in most circumstances, be administered to patients with COPD without impairment in HRQOL.
van Gestel
Yvette R B M
YR
Department of Anesthesiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Hoeks
Sanne E
SE
Sin
Don D
DD
Stam
Henk
H
Mertens
Frans W
FW
Bax
Jeroen J
JJ
van Domburg
Ron T
RT
Poldermans
Don
D
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D014665:Vasodilator Agents