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Beta-blockers are effective in congestive heart failure patients with atrial fibrillation

Fanbo Meng1, Tsutomu Yoshikawa, Akiyasu Baba

  • 1Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan 160-8582.

Journal of Cardiac Failure
|October 30, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Beta-blockers effectively improve left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), regardless of whether they have atrial fibrillation (AF) or normal sinus rhythm (NSR). This therapy is recommended for all CHF patients, including those with AF.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Controversy exists regarding beta-blocker efficacy in congestive heart failure (CHF) patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).
  • Assessing beta-blocker effectiveness in CHF patients with AF versus normal sinus rhythm (NSR) is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy of beta-blockers in CHF patients with AF versus NSR.
  • To evaluate the impact of metoprolol or carvedilol on cardiac function and biomarkers.

Main Methods:

  • Study included 70 CHF patients (NYHA class II-IV, LVEF <40%) treated with beta-blockers for 16 weeks.
  • Compared changes in left ventricular dimensions, LVEF, and plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels between AF and NSR groups.

Main Results:

  • Beta-blockers decreased left ventricular end-diastolic dimension in the AF group but not the NSR group.
  • Both groups showed decreased end-systolic dimension and increased LVEF.
  • The increase in LVEF tended to be greater in the AF group; plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels showed a trend towards decrease in the AF group.

Conclusions:

  • Beta-blockers are effective in both NSR and AF patients with CHF.
  • Beta-blocker therapy is recommended for patients with CHF, including those with AF.
Abstract

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