Clinical Review: Is the perioperative use of beta-blockers still recommended? A critical review of recent controversies.
The optimal role of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade in the perioperative period remains unclear in patients at risk for cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular complications continue to be the most common cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality, and cardioprotective properties of beta-blockers are widely recognized, yet the results of the clinical trials investigating the use of different beta-blockers in the perioperative period are controversial. The discrepancy might be related to differences in the design of studies, use of different agents, administration by different routes, and continuation for different time intervals. Evidently, perioperative mortality and morbidity seem to be related to heart rate, and the majority of complications are related to beta-blockers' side effects. Based on the observations from different studies, we propose an algorithm for perioperative beta blockade.
Domanski
Damian
D
Cedars Sinai Heart Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA.
Schwarz
Ernst R
ER
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000465:Algorithms; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists