Weaning from inotropic support and concomitant beta-blocker therapy in severely ill heart failure patients: take the time in order to improve prognosis.
OBJECTIVE
Beta-blockers improve the prognosis in heart failure (HF), but their introduction may seem impossible in patients dependent on inotropic support. However, many of these patients can be titrated on beta-blockers, but there is little evidence of successful clinical strategies.


RESULTS
We analysed the records of inotropy-dependent patients referred for assessment for heart transplantation. Thirty-six patients (45%) could not be weaned (NW) and underwent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation or transplantation, or died. However, 44 (55%) were successfully weaned (SW). Neither the aetiology (ischaemic vs. non-ischaemic) nor cardiac indexes were different in the SW as compared with the NW group (2.27±0.5 vs. 2.15±0.6 L/min/m2). The NW patients had lower LVEF (15±5% vs. 19±5%, P=0.001), higher right atrial pressure (12±6 vs. 8±6 mmHg, P=0.02), and more severe mitral regurgitation (P<0.001) than the SW patients. At discharge, 35 of 44 SW patients were receiving beta-blockers. In 29 of them, a beta-blocker could only be initiated or continued during concomitant support with i.v. enoximone for a duration of 14.1±7.2 days. Patients discharged on a beta-blocker had an LVAD/transplantation-free cumulative survival of 71% during a follow-up of 2074±201 days (confidence interval 1679–2470).


CONCLUSIONS
It takes time to put severely ill HF patients on beta-blockers and it may require bridging with inotropes which are independent of beta-adrenergic receptors. Whether such a strategy may result in a better clinical outcome warrants further research.
Alina A
AA
Constantinescu
Kadir
K
Caliskan
Olivier C
OC
Manintveld
Ron
R
van Domburg
Lucia
L
Jewbali
Aggie H M M
AH
Balk
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D017298:Bisoprolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D004280:Dobutamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography; D017335:Enoximone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D015300:Ventilator Weaning
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol; D004280:Dobutamine; D017335:Enoximone; D017298:Bisoprolol