RT Journal
A1 Goldstein S
T1 ß-adrenergic blocking agents in the post-myocardial infarction patient
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 1979
FD October 1
VO 139
IS 10
SP 1089
OP 1090
DO 10.1001/archinte.1979.03630470011004
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1979.03630470011004
AB The β-adrenergic agent, propranolol hydrochloride, has become an important adjunct to the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease. Propranolol has become the foundation for the current medical treatment of angina pectoris based primarily upon the impressive symptom relief experienced following its administration. It is, however, unfortunate that there are little data relating to propranolol's effect on long-term morbidity and mortality in angina pectoris. As an extension of its presumed effectiveness in angina pectoris, propranolol is now being used in the routine treatment of patients who have experienced an acute myocardial infarction, regardless of the clinical course or symptom status. This therapy philosophy has been based largely on a number of studies performed in Europe using, for the most part, β-adrenergic blocking agents other than propranolol. Although these reports suggest that β-adrenergic blocking agents may improve survival following an acute myocardial infarction, it is far from a proven fact that