β-Blockers in COPD Patients

Clinicians sometimes are reluctant to prescribe β-blockers for patients who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of concern that these drugs might precipitate bronchospasm. In this retrospective cohort study, investigators assessed the effects of β-blockers on exacerbations, hospital admissions, and mortality in 6000 Scottish patients (mean age at diagnosis, 69) with COPD.

A total of 819 patients used β-blockers. After a mean follow-up of 4.4 years (during which one third of patients died), β-blocker use was associated with 22% lower all-cause mortality. Mortality with β-blockers was lower regardless of patients' concurrent inhaled therapies (i.e., steroid, long-acting β₂-agonist, anticholinergic, or combination therapy)…