title: [Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease can benefit from beta-blocker treatment].
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and coronary heart disease share smoking as the most important common risk factor and there is a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease among COPD patients. Although cardioselective beta-blockers are safe in treatment of COPD, they are often withheld in these patients. In observational studies, beta-blocker treatment is associated with significantly reduced mortality and reduced risk of exacerbations of COPD. This effect may be caused by the beneficial effect of beta-blockers on heart failure, tachycardia and upregulation of beta-receptors in the airways.
authors.affiliation: daniel.rasmussen@live.dk.
authors.forename: Daniel Bech
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Magnus Thorsten
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists