Low Dose Beta-Blockers As Effective As High Dose After a Heart Attack

In a surprising new finding, heart attack patients treated with a substantially lower dosage of beta-blockers than used in earlier clinical trials showing their effectiveness survived at the same rate, or even better, than patients on the higher doses used in those trials.

In fact, patients who received one-fourth of the original clinical trial dose had up to a 20 to 25 percent decrease in mortality compared to the full dose group.

About 90 percent of patients who have had a heart attack currently receive beta-blockers, a class of drug commonly prescribed to improve survival and prevent future heart attacks. Beta-blockers block the effects of adrenaline on the heart, reduce irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and help prevent heart failure.