β-Adrenergic Blockade for Survivors of Acute Myocardial Infarction

THE β-adrenoceptor antagonists have been shown to be both safe and effective for the treatment of systemic hypertension, arrhythmia, angina pectoris, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, thyrotoxicosis, and open-angle glaucoma, and for prophylaxis against migraine headache.1 Recent clinical trials with one to four years of active treatment have demonstrated that some orally active β-blockers can reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 On the basis of the results of the Norwegian Multicenter Study10 and the Beta-Blocker Heart Attack Trial11 in North America, the Food and Drug Administration has recently approved two nonselective β-blockers, timolol maleate (Blocadren) and . . .