The rational use of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in the treatment of heart failure. The changing face of an old therapy

Heart failure is one of the commonest debilitating conditions of industrialized society, with mortality and morbidity comparable with that of the common neoplastic diseases. The role of antagonists of the adrenergic beta-receptor (beta-blockers) in heart failure has been the subject of debate for many years. Data from studies of the therapeutic use of beta-blockers in patients following acute myocardial infarction suggest that in this circumstance these agents confer at least as much benefit to patients with heart failure as they do to those without. Similarly retrospective analysis of a number of the studies of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in heart failure suggest a greater effect of the combination of beta-blocker with ACE inhibitor compared with ACE inhibitor alone. The results of recent prospective, placebo-controlled studies of the addition of beta-blocker to standard therapy in patients with chronic heart failure have confirmed a significant beneficial effect. beta-blocker therapy in these studies was well tolerated and in addition to improved mortality, beta-blocker therapy is associated with improved morbidity in terms of progressive heart failure and numbers of hospitalizations. Initiation of beta-blocker therapy in heart failure may be associated with deterioration of cardiac function in the short term. Treatment should be started at a low dose of beta-blocker with slow up-titration in a number of steps over several weeks. In spite of the established benefits of ACE inhibition in patients with heart failure, this treatment is under-utilized. Part of this shortfall is due to physicians' perceptions regarding potential unwanted effects of ACE inhibition. Perceptions regarding unwanted effects of beta-adrenoceptor blocker therapy are likely to be at least as great. While beta-blockade represents a welcome addition to the therapeutic armoury of physicians caring for patients with heart failure, initiation and stabilization of beta-adrenoceptor blocker therapy should be undertaken under specialist supervision.