Do beta-blockers have a role in patients with congestive heart failure?

beta-adrenergic blocking agents have been demonstrated to benefit ventricular systolic and diastolic function, improve functional class, and reduce neurohormonal activation in patients with congestive heart failure. Their effects on mortality, although still unknown, are unlikely to be adverse and more likely to be favorable based on prior studies. Future studies of the effect of beta-adrenergic blockade on survival are warranted. These agents are slowly gaining acceptance as a novel treatment modality for patients who have congestive heart failure.