Interest of β-blockers in patients with right ventricular systemic dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Congenital Heart Disease
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Beta-blockers are established treatments for left ventricular systolic dysfunction.
• Efficacy of beta-blockers in systemic right ventricle dysfunction remains less understood.
• Systemic right ventricle dysfunction can arise after complex congenital heart surgeries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of beta-blocker therapy in patients with a dysfunctional systemic right ventricle.
• To assess changes in quality of life, functional class, and cardiac function.

Main Methods:

• Included 14 patients with systemic right ventricle after Mustard/Senning or congenitally corrected transposition.
• Assessed New York Heart Association class, quality of life, aerobic capacity, and systemic right ventricular ejection fraction.
• Follow-up averaged 12.8 months (range: 3-36 months) after initiating beta-blocker treatment.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in New York Heart Association class (p = 0.016).
• Marked improvement in quality of life (p = 0.008).
• Significant increase in systemic right ventricular ejection fraction by radionuclide ventriculography (p = 0.031).

Conclusions:

• Beta-blockers enhance New York Heart Association class and quality of life in systemic right ventricle failure.
• Radionuclide ventriculography shows significant improvement in systemic right ventricular ejection fraction with beta-blocker use.
• Findings support beta-blocker therapy for managing cardiac failure in this patient population.