Other important applications for beta-blockers in high-risk patients.
Beta-blockers suppress the adverse effects of chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system-which plays an important role in the progression of cardiovascular disease- and the drugs are also recommended as primary therapy in other diverse medical conditions that present treatment problems. For many patients with atrial fibrillation, a common condition that poses a high risk of stroke, heart rate control with beta-blockers is increasingly seen as a critical therapeutic component. Similarly, perioperative beta-blocker use provides clinical benefits in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery who are at risk of cardiac events. In migraine therapy, beta-blockers are well established as effective agents for prophylaxis, and beta-blockers may reduce levels of C-reactive protein, a sensitive marker of inflammation in cardiovascular disease. Reviewing the role of beta-blockers in several ancillary conditions should help illuminate various aspects of the complex progression of cardiovascular disease and clarify the drugs' various therapeutic benefits.
Egan
Brent M
BM
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. eganbm@musc.edu
Chilton
Robert J
RJ
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D019990:Perioperative Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002097:C-Reactive Protein