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At hospital discharge, most patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) routinely receive β-blockers. Now, researchers have analyzed U.K. registry data on hospitalizations for acute coronary syndrome to examine associations between β-blocker use and mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) or non-STEMI but without heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (NCT02786654).
Of approximately 180,000 patients who survived to hospital discharge, 95% received β-blockers. Compared with the non–β-blocker group, the β-blocker group was younger and more likely to be male and to have a better cardiovascular risk profile. Mortality overall at follow-up (maximum, 1 year) was 5% and, in unadjusted analyses, was significant…