Beta blockers may raise heart failure risk in women
Study shows women on the antihypertensive drugs had a 35% increased risk of heart failure on admission for acute coronary syndrome than men
Women with no prior history of cardiovascular disease who take beta blockers for hypertension have an increased the risk of heart failure, a new study suggests.
Among thousands of patients presenting to hospital with acute coronary syndrome, more women taking beta blockers (21.3%) than men (16.7%) had heart failure.
This translates to 35% greater relative risk for women, researchers report in Hypertension.
“What we found presents a solid case for re-examination of the use of beta blocker therapy for women with hypertension and no prior heart disease,” said lead author Dr Raffaele Bugiardini, a professor of cardiology in the department of experimental, diagnostic and specialty medicine at the University of Bologna, in Italy.
