title: The role of beta-blockers in the management of patients with heart failure.
abstract: More than 400,000 new cases of heart failure are diagnosed each year, making it one of the largest problems in health care today, particularly among the elderly. Primary care providers must be aware of the benefits of early recognition and treatment of heart failure and asymptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Standard therapy has included ACE inhibitors, digoxin, and diuretics for volume overload. More recently, large clinical trials have prompted the recommendation to add beta-blockers to this regimen. This article reviews heart failure pathophysiology, management, and the consensus recommendations for adding beta-blockers to heart failure therapy.
authors.affiliation: Heart and Vascular Institute, Morristown, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: MacCallum
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors