Another study confirmed that adding a drug called a beta-blocker to conventional therapy for heart attack may provide long-term benefits for some patients.
Beta-blockers are often prescribed to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.
Beta-blockers have been shown to be particularly useful in heart failure patients with a heart condition called left-ventricular systolic dysfunction when used along with drugs called angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Left-ventricular systolic dysfunction reduces the heart's pumping efficiency.
Previous research has shown that the drugs may also help heart attack patients. But these studies were conducted before the widespread use of several new treatments for heart disease, including the artery-clearing procedure balloon angioplasty, clot-busting medications and ACE inhibitors. And until now, beta-blockers had not been studied in heart attack patients with left-ventricular systolic dysfunction.
Or course, Glaxo SmithKline and Roche Pharmaceuticals, manufacturers of beta-blockers, were both involved in the research.
The Lancet May 5, 2001;357:1385-1390
Beta-blockers do seem to provide some benefit to those who are struggling with serious life-threatening heart disease. As most know, I am no fan of drugs for long-term solutions, but it would be foolish to "throw the baby out with the bath water."
I will generally use a beta-blocker for most people with systolic blood pressures greater than 180. This normally works for most to reduce the blood pressure below the risk of having a stroke, until the lifestyle management programs (adopting the Total Health Program and exercise) kick in.
It is likely the beta-blockers work so well as they block the effects of an over activated sympathetic nervous system that is a result of non-optimized handling of stress.
Our inability to cope with stress is one of the leading reasons why so many of us suffer with physical illnesses.
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