Experience of commencing Carvedilol in elderly patients with heart failure in a routine outpatient clinic.

Carvedilol has been shown to be beneficial for patients with heart failure, but it is not clear how it should be initiated in routine clinical practice, particularly in the elderly. This study is a retrospective review of 19 patients of age 80+/-4 years with heart failure, who had Carvedilol treatment initiated in a routine outpatient clinic. No patient experienced a worsening of their heart failure or required admission to hospital. There was a mean reduction in heart rate of 11 beats/min. Carvedilol was tolerated by 68% of the patients. Thus, Carvedilol can be safely initiated in a routine outpatient clinic in appropriately selected elderly patients.