Spinal Disc Decompression

BETA BLOCKER STUDY

A new study shows a class of medications used for heart failure gets a passing grade, in spite of unwarranted skepticism about their effectiveness and safety to patients.
There have been several studies out now that justify the fact beta blockers can be of benefit to heart failure patients, in spite of the fact they slow down the heart. But doctors are still timid to use them, and this study aims to show them and patients they can be used without a risk of serious side effects.

There have been several studies out that justify the fact beta blockers can be of benefit to heart failure patients, in spite of the fact they slow down the heart. But doctors are still timid to use them. A new study shows that beta blockers get a passing grade, in spite of unwarranted skepticism about their effectiveness and safety to patients.

“On the way out he said there’s your x-ray up there, are you aware of the fact you have an enlarged heart, I said no I didn’t’ know that.” It came as a complete surprise to 86 year old Robert Baumann that his heart was enlarged even though the signs of heart failure were creeping up on him over the previous 5 months. “I got short of breath if I did anything,” says Robert.

Robert’s doctor put him on Coreg, a drug which is in the family of medicines called beta-blockers. Beta-blockers work by slowing down the heart. And so there has been concern--and now, what is for the most part, a misconception--that slowing down the heart with beta blockers can create problems in those whose hearts are already not pumping well.

Now new research in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows the benefits of beta blocker therapy far outweigh any risks or side effects, and that any prejudice against this class of cardiac drugs should be eliminated once and for all. Beta blockers can, if not prescribed properly, cause side effects, including fatigue and worsening heart function.

Dr. Nate Lebowitz, a cardiologist at Englewood Medical Center in New Jersey says it is perhaps the most important drug treatment for heart failure. “It’s been shown with study after study after study, to have huge percentages 30-40-50percent improvement in survival and reduction in hospitalization, in quality of life,” states Dr. Lebowitz.

It does go against what one might think, that a heart already slow and made to go slower would be in even more failure. But the slowing down is like taking a rest, and it allows the heart to have to work not as hard, so in essence it actually allows the heart to pump more easily.

Some patients did have certain side effects such as low blood pressure slow heart rate dizziness s but overall the risk was small so small in fact that more patients withdrew from placebo than from a beta blocker. The drugs, according to Dr. Lebowitz, can be prescribed to even the worst heart failure patients.

“As long as you treat people the right way. You can’t just say see you next year, you’ve got to start them at very low doses see them back every two to four weeks,” says Dr. Lebowitz. Lebowitz says the drugs do have to be closely monitored and the dose needs to be increased slowly. The patients, in New York and elsewhere, need to be seen by the doctor at least once every two weeks while initiating and increasing the beta blocker dosages.

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