title: [Beta-blocker therapy during acutely decompensated heart failure].
abstract: The well established benefits of beta-blocker therapy in chronic heart failure include improved survival and quality of life and decreased morbidity and hospitalizations. In acute heart failure, evidence supports early initiation of beta-blocker therapy within the same hospitalization. Beta-blocker therapy seldom has to be withdrawn if patients are already on this medication as maintaining beta-blockers throughout these episodes is not deleterious and increases ulterior therapeutic adhesion. Possible indications for temporarily discontinuing therapy are a worsening clinical condition or cardiogenic shock. Potential benefits of maintaining beta-blockers on mortality still have to be confirmed by larger prospective trials.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne générale, Département de médecine interne, HUG, 1211 Genève 14.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carballo
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garin
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carballo
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists