Beta-blocker efficacy across different cardiovascular indications: an umbrella review and meta-analytic assessment

Oliver Ziff, Monica Samra, James Howard, Daniel Bromage, Frank Ruschitzka, Darrel Francis, Dipak Kotecha

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
163 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background
Beta-blockers are widely used for many cardiovascular conditions; however, their efficacy in contemporary clinical practice remains uncertain.

Methods
We performed a prospectively designed, umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the evidence of beta-blockers in the contemporary management of coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure (HF), patients undergoing surgery or hypertension (registration: PROSPERO CRD42016038375). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from inception until December 2018. Outcomes were analysed as beta-blockers versus control for all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), incident HF or stroke. Two independent investigators abstracted the data, assessed the quality of the evidence and rated the certainty of evidence.

Results
We identified 98 meta-analyses, including 284 unique RCTs and 1,617,523 patient-years of follow-up. In CAD, 12 meta-analyses (93 RCTs, 103,481 patients) showed that beta-blockers reduced mortality in analyses before routine reperfusion, but there was a lack of benefit in contemporary studies where ≥ 50% of patients received thrombolytics or intervention. Beta-blockers reduced incident MI at the expense of increased HF. In HF with reduced ejection fraction, 34 meta-analyses (66 RCTs, 35,383 patients) demonstrated a reduction in mortality and HF hospitalisation with beta-blockers in sinus rhythm, but not in atrial fibrillation. In patients undergoing surgery, 23 meta-analyses (89 RCTs, 19,211 patients) showed no effect of beta-blockers on mortality for cardiac surgery, but increased mortality in non-cardiac surgery. In non-cardiac surgery, beta-blockers reduced MI after surgery but increased the risk of stroke. In hypertension, 27 meta-analyses (36 RCTs, 260,549 patients) identified no benefit versus placebo, but beta-blockers were inferior to other agents for preventing mortality and stroke.

Conclusions
Beta-blockers substantially reduce mortality in HF patients in sinus rhythm, but for other conditions, clinicians need to weigh up both benefit and potential risk.
Original languageEnglish
Article number103
Number of pages11
JournalBMC Medicine
Volume18
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 5 May 2020

Keywords

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Heart failure
  • Hypertension
  • Meta-analysis
  • Mortality
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Perioperative
  • Stroke
  • Systematic review

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine(all)

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