Aims Dose-dependent effects of β-blockers on survival and cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI) are not well understood. We investigated the long-term risk of cardiovascular events in patients with different doses of β-blockers after MI. Methods and results This was a nationwide observational study linking morbidity, mortality, socioeconomic, and medication data from Swedish national registries. Between 2006 and 2015, 97 575 unique patients with first-time MI were included. In total, 33 126 (33.9%) patients were discharged with ≥50% of the target β-blocker dose and 64 449 (66.1%) patients with <50% of the target β-blocker dose used in previous randomized trials. The primary composite endpoint was re-infarction or all-cause death within 1 year from discharge. Multivariable adjusted 1-year follow-up estimates using mixed effects Cox regression [HR (95% CI)] showed that patients treated with ≥50% of the target dose had a similar risk of the composite endpoint [1.03 (0.99–1.08)] and a somewhat higher risk when stroke, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure hospitalization were added to the composite endpoint [1.08 (1.04–1.12)], compared with patients on <50% of the target β-blocker dose. Results remained similar up to 5 years of follow-up and consistent across relevant patient subgroups, including patients who developed heart failure during the index hospitalization. Conclusions In contrast to doses of β-blockers used in previous trials, ≥50% of the target β-blocker dose was not associated with superior cardiovascular outcomes up to 5 years as compared with <50% of the target dose. Contemporary randomized clinical trials are needed to clarify the optimal dose of β-blockers after MI.
Background Most trials showing benefit of beta-blocker treatment after myocardial infarction (MI) included patients with large MIs and are from an era before modern biomarker-based MI diagnosis and reperfusion treatment. The aim of the Randomized Evaluation of Decreased Usage of betabloCkErs after Acute Myocardial Infarction (REDUCE-AMI) trial is to determine whether long-term oral beta-blockade in patients with an acute MI and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) reduces the composite endpoint of death of any cause or recurrent MI. Methods It is a registry-based, randomized, parallel, open-label, multicenter trial performed at 38 centers in Sweden, one center in Estonia and six centers in New Zealand. About 5000 patients with an acute MI who have undergone coronary angiography and with EF ≥ 50% will be randomized to long-term treatment with beta-blockade or not. The primary endpoint is the composite endpoint of death of any cause or new non-fatal MI. There are several secondary endpoints, including all-cause death, cardiovascular death, new MI, readmission because of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, symptoms, functional status, health related quality of life after 6–10 weeks and after 1 year of treatment. Safety endpoints are bradycardia, AV-block II-III, hypotension, syncope or need for pacemaker, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and stroke. Conclusion The results from REDUCE-AMI will add important evidence regarding the effect of beta-blockers in patients with MI and preserved EF and may change guidelines and clinical practice.
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