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Coronary artery disease

Are β-blockers truly helpful in patients with CAD?

In a large, new, observational study, β-blocker treatment did not improve clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), including those with previous myocardial infarction, and was associated with more events in individuals with risk factors only. The role of β-blockers for secondary prevention in these patients should be reconsidered.

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Figure 1: Effect of long-term β-blocker therapy after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

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Correspondence to Nicolas Danchin.

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Competing interests

N. Danchin is or has been a consultant for the following companies: AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol–Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novo-Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, and The Medicines Company. N. Danchin has received honoraria from the following companies: AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol–Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, Novo-Nordisk, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, and The Medicines Company. N. Danchin has received grant or research support from the following companies: AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, and The Medicines Company.

S. Laurent is or has been a consultant for AstraZeneca. S. Laurent has received honoraria from the following companies: Bayer Schering, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Daiichi Sankyo, Menarini, Negma, Novartis, Omron, Recordati, and Servier. S. Laurent has received grant or research support from the following companies: Actor, Esaote, and Servier.

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Danchin, N., Laurent, S. Are β-blockers truly helpful in patients with CAD?. Nat Rev Cardiol 10, 11–12 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2012.159

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