Beta-blockers ‘safe’ after MI for patients with COPD

Danish national data suggests the class might even protect against acute exacerbations
Clare Pain
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Prescription of beta-blockers for people with COPD after myocardial infarction (MI) does not raise their risk of an acute respiratory exacerbation and might even be protective, a large study shows.

The study of nearly 11,000 Danes with COPD who had their first MI between 2003 and 2015 should allay the concerns of doctors under-prescribing the agents for fear of triggering exacerbations, the authors say.