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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Real-Time Monitoring and Modulation of Blood Pressure in a Rabbit Model of Ischemic Stroke
Published on: February 10, 2023
Beta-blockers reduce the risk of early death in ischemic stroke
Tomasz Dziedzic1, Agnieszka Slowik, Joanna Pera
1Department of Neurology, Jagiellonian University, Botaniczna 3, 31-503 Krakow, Poland. Dziedzic@cm-uj.krakow.pl
Objectives:
Beta-blockers reduce mortality in patients after myocardial infarction. Experimental studies suggest that beta-blockers have also neuroprotective properties. The aim of this study was to assess if use of beta-blockers is associated with reduced risk of early death in ischemic stroke patients.
Materials And Methods:
Retrospective data analysis of 841 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the stroke unit within 24 h after stroke onset.
Results:
10.6% of patients received beta-blockers during hospitalization. Thirty-day case fatality was significantly lower in patients treated with beta-blockers than in those not treated with beta-blockers (6.8% versus 19.0%, P < 0.01). After adjustment for other prognostic factors, the use of beta-blockers was associated with reduced risk of early death (relative hazard 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.16-0.84) independently of age, stroke severity, fasting glucose, total cholesterol level and pneumonia. When patients who died of cardiovascular causes were excluded from the analysis, the use of beta-blocker was no longer significantly associated with risk of death (P = 0.12).
Conclusion:
In a retrospective series the use of beta-blockers was associated with reduced risk of early death in patients with ischemic stroke.
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