Timolol-related reduction in mortality and reinfarction in diabetic patients surviving acute myocardial infarction

The long-term effect of timolol treatment (20 mg daily) on mortality and reinfarction was evaluated in 99 diabetic patients (placebo 46, timolol 53) surviving acute myocardial infarction. During the follow-up period of mean 17 months (12-33 months) there were 13 cardiac deaths in the placebo group and 5 in the timolol group, a reduction of 66.6% (p less than 0.05). The number of non-fatal reinfarctions was 10 in the placebo group and 2 in the timolol group, a reduction of 82.7% (p less than 0.05). The timolol treatment was well tolerated. However, in patients not suffering from diabetes mellitus, long-term timolol treatment was related to a slight increase in new onset diabetes mellitus and in fasting blood sugar levels.