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This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
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Australian Prescriber Vol. 23 No. 6 2000
Dilemmas in the drug treatment of heart failure / Beta Blockers in heart failure
Heart failure is a difficult disease to treat. When the heart does not pump as well as it should the patient fills up with fluid. Water tablets (diuretics) are often prescribed to get rid of the extra fluid. Patients can also help by not using too much salt, not drinking too much fluid, and limiting alcohol use.
Most patients are now treated with medicines called ACE inhibitors. The ACE inhibitors help to reduce admissions to hospital and deaths from heart failure.
Digoxin is a medicine which helps the heart to beat stronger. It is not used much nowadays unless the patient also has an irregular heartbeat. Medicines called beta blockers were once thought to be unsafe for patients with heart failure. New research has found that beta blockers may help some patients with more severe heart failure.
