BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether beta-blocker therapy should be reduced or withdrawn in patients who develop acute decompensated heart failure (HF). We studied the relationship between changes in beta-blocker dose and outcome in patients surviving a HF hospitalisation in COMET. METHODS:Patients hospitalised for HF were subdivided on the basis of the beta-blocker dose administered at the visit following hospitalisation, compared to that administered before. RESULTS: In COMET, 752/3029 patients (25%, 361 carvedilol and 391 metoprolol) had a non-fatal HF hospitalisation while on study treatment. Of these, 61 patients (8%) had beta-blocker treatment withdrawn, 162 (22%) had a dose reduction and 529 (70%) were maintained on the same dose. One-and two-year cumulative mortality rates were 28.7% and 44.6% for patients withdrawn from study medication, 37.4% and 51.4% for those with a reduced dosage (n.s.) and 19.1% and 32.5% for those maintained on the same dose (HR,1.59; 95%CI, 1.28-1.98; p<0.001, compared to the others). The result remained significant in a multivariable model: (HR, 1.30; 95%CI, 1.02-1.66; p=0.0318). No interaction with the beneficial effects of carvedilol, compared to metoprolol, on outcome was observed (p=0.8436). CONCLUSIONS: HF hospitalisations are associated with a high subsequent mortality. The risk of death is higher in patients who discontinue beta-blocker therapy or have their dose reduced. The increase in mortality is only partially explained by the worse prognostic profile of these patients.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether beta-blocker therapy should be reduced or withdrawn in patients who develop acute decompensated heart failure (HF). We studied the relationship between changes in beta-blocker dose and outcome in patients surviving a HF hospitalisation in COMET. METHODS:Patients hospitalised for HF were subdivided on the basis of the beta-blocker dose administered at the visit following hospitalisation, compared to that administered before. RESULTS: In COMET, 752/3029 patients (25%, 361 carvedilol and 391 metoprolol) had a non-fatal HF hospitalisation while on study treatment. Of these, 61 patients (8%) had beta-blocker treatment withdrawn, 162 (22%) had a dose reduction and 529 (70%) were maintained on the same dose. One-and two-year cumulative mortality rates were 28.7% and 44.6% for patients withdrawn from study medication, 37.4% and 51.4% for those with a reduced dosage (n.s.) and 19.1% and 32.5% for those maintained on the same dose (HR,1.59; 95%CI, 1.28-1.98; p<0.001, compared to the others). The result remained significant in a multivariable model: (HR, 1.30; 95%CI, 1.02-1.66; p=0.0318). No interaction with the beneficial effects of carvedilol, compared to metoprolol, on outcome was observed (p=0.8436). CONCLUSIONS: HF hospitalisations are associated with a high subsequent mortality. The risk of death is higher in patients who discontinue beta-blocker therapy or have their dose reduced. The increase in mortality is only partially explained by the worse prognostic profile of these patients.
Authors: Marco Metra; Luca Bettari; Franca Pagani; Valentina Lazzarini; Carlo Lombardi; Valentina Carubelli; Graziella Bonetti; Silvia Bugatti; Giovanni Parrinello; Luigi Caimi; G Michael Felker; Livio Dei Cas Journal: Clin Res Cardiol Date: 2012-03-10 Impact factor: 5.460
Authors: Michael W Smith; Charnetta Brown; Salim S Virani; Charlene R Weir; Laura A Petersen; Natalie Kelly; Julia Akeroyd; Jennifer H Garvin Journal: Appl Clin Inform Date: 2018-06-27 Impact factor: 2.342
Authors: Paul A Heidenreich; Gregg C Fonarow; Khadijah Breathett; Corrine Y Jurgens; Barbara A Pisani; Bunny J Pozehl; John A Spertus; Kenneth G Taylor; Jennifer T Thibodeau; Clyde W Yancy; Boback Ziaeian Journal: Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes Date: 2020-11-02
Authors: Paul A Heidenreich; Gregg C Fonarow; Khadijah Breathett; Corrine Y Jurgens; Barbara A Pisani; Bunny J Pozehl; John A Spertus; Kenneth G Taylor; Jennifer T Thibodeau; Clyde W Yancy; Boback Ziaeian Journal: J Am Coll Cardiol Date: 2020-11-02 Impact factor: 24.094