Do beta blockers help three years beyond MI?

Consider deprescribing the drugs in older adults, says US research
Reuters Health
beta blockers

Beta blocker use beyond three years after an MI doesn’t seem to improve long-term outcomes, according to an analysis.

US researchers examined data from a registry on almost 6900 MI patients aged 65 and over who were discharged on beta blocker therapy and alive three years later without a recurrent MI.

The team from Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina, found that 72% were still on a beta blocker at three years, and 43% were taking at least half the recommended target dose.

However, beta blocker use was not associated with a significant difference in the cardiovascular composite of all-cause mortality, hospitalisation for recurrent MI, ischaemic stroke or heart failure over the subsequent five years (52% vs 55%).