FOLLOWING a heart attack, patients are almost always prescribed a lifetime of medications designed to protect the heart and prevent another attack. Though these medications have historically included beta-blockers, a recent Spanish study shows that the medication provides no benefit to a majority of heart attack survivors.
Beta-blockers, a medication that slows the rate and force of the heartbeat, have been a part of regular clinical cardiology practice for 40 years. However, the study performed by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) showed that patients with an uncomplicated heart attack will not benefit from this medication.
READ MORE: West Nile Fever hits Spain’s Balearics: First case confirmed in horse on Menorca
Of all heart attack patients, roughly 70% survive with preserved heart function, while 20% suffer from moderately reduced function and 10% have clearly marked dysfunction.
Borja Ibanez, the study’s principal investigator and scientific director of the CNIC, said that these findings mark “a paradigm shift” and told ABC that daily cardiological practices will shift with this new information.
“Our work will change the treatment of these cases worldwide; more than 80% of patients with this type of uncomplicated heart attack are discharged with beta-blocker treatment,” Ibanez told ABC.
READ MORE: Food poisoning cases in Malaga province more than halved in 2024
Though beta-blockers are a relatively safe medication, potential side effects include fatigue, slow heart rate and sexual dysfunction.
In the long run, removing beta-blockers from regular prescription cocktails will save costs for the healthcare system, promote patient adherence, as they will need to take fewer pills, and reduce these negative side effects.
Click here to read more Health News from The Olive Press.
