Informação da revista
Vol. 40. Núm. 10.
Páginas 813-814 (outubro 2021)
Partilhar
Partilhar
Baixar PDF
Mais opções do artigo
Vol. 40. Núm. 10.
Páginas 813-814 (outubro 2021)
Letter to the Editor
Open Access
Reply to letter “Beta-blockers in acute coronary syndrome patients: The concept of ‘gradient of benefit”’
Resposta à Carta «Beta-bloquantes no doente pós-SCA: o conceito de gradiente de benefício»
Visitas
2280
Jesús Velásquez-Rodrígueza, Manuel Martínez-Sellésa,b,
Autor para correspondência
mmselles@secardiologia.es

Corresponding author.
a Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, CIBERCV, Madrid, Spain
b Universidad Complutense, Universidad Europea, Madrid, Spain
Conteúdo relacionado
Fernando Montenegro Sá, João Morais
Este item recebeu

Under a Creative Commons license
Informação do artigo
Texto Completo
Bibliografia
Baixar PDF
Estatísticas
Figuras (1)
Texto Completo

We would like to thank Fernando Montenegro Sá and João Morais for their interest in our paper.1 Beta-blockers are indicated after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤40% (class I recommendation, level of evidence A) but in those with LVEF >40% the benefit is not clear (class IIa, level B).2 We agree that in patients in the 40-50% range beta-blockers appear more likely to help than to harm, due to their moderate probability of future events. The gradient of benefit means that beta-blockers should probably not be used in very low risk STEMI,3,4 in which the risk of cardiovascular events is extremely small in the near future. In addition, beta-blockers should be avoided in high-risk patients in whom side effects will probably occur, as in those with hypotension, acute heart failure,5 or shock6 (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

The gradient of benefit of beta-blockers (BB) according to the risk of future cardiovascular (CV) events and the risk of drug side effects in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

(0.08MB).

Further studies are needed to better identify STEMI patients who might benefit from beta-blockers, taking into consideration not only LVEF, but also other factors associated with prognosis that might improve with this treatment. For instance, endothelial dysfunction is common in STEMI7 and beta-blockers improve microvascular function.8 This is also the case with atrial fibrillation.9,10 Most studies of beta-blockers in STEMI were performed in an era when the rate of primary angioplasty was low and heart failure and mechanical complications were frequently seen.11 The current scenario is different and extrapolation of previous data could lead to overuse of these drugs. In the Description of Acute Myocardial Infarction: Management, New Therapies and Evolution (DIAMANTE) registry, 86% of our patients received beta-blockers.1 Finally, regarding dosage, Mars et al.12 have recently shown that target dose is not associated with cardiovascular outcomes, and Goldberger et al.13 even suggest that patients treated with 12.5-25% of the target dose may have enhanced survival compared with other doses.

Conflicts of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

References
[1]
J. Velásquez-Rodríguez, V. Bruña, L. Vicent, et al.
Influence of left ventricular systolic function on the long-term benefit of beta-blockers after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Rev Port Cardiol, 40 (2021), pp. 285-290
[2]
B. Ibanez, S. James, S. Agewall, et al.
2017 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation: The Task Force for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Eur Heart J, 39 (2018), pp. 119-177
[3]
F. Díez-Delhoyo, M.J. Valero-Masa, J. Velásquez-Rodríguez, et al.
Very low risk ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction? It exists and may be easily identified.
Int J Cardiol, 228 (2017), pp. 615-620
[4]
B. Alvarez Alvarez, A.B. Cid Alvarez, A. Redondo Dieguez, et al.
Short-term and long-term validation of the fastest score in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction after primary angioplasty.
Int J Cardiol, 269 (2018), pp. 19-22
[5]
L. Vicent, J. Velásquez-Rodríguez, M.J. Valero-Masa, et al.
Predictors of high Killip class after ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in the era of primary reperfusion.
Int J Cardiol, 248 (2017), pp. 46-50
[6]
X. Li, I. Sousa-Casasnovas, C. Devesa, et al.
Predictors of in-hospital mortality among cardiogenic shock patients. Prognostic and therapeutic implications.
Int J Cardiol, 224 (2016), pp. 114-118
[7]
F. Díez-Delhoyo, E. Gutiérrez-Ibañes, R. Sanz-Ruiz, et al.
Prevalence of microvascular and endothelial dysfunction in the nonculprit territory in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Circ Cardiovasc Interv, 12 (2019), pp. e007257
[8]
M. Galderisi, A. D’Errico.
Beta-blockers and coronary flow reserve: the importance of a vasodilatory action.
[9]
V. Bruña, J. Velásquez-Rodríguez, M.J. Valero-Masa, et al.
Prognostic of interatrial block after an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Cardiology, 142 (2019), pp. 109-115
[10]
A.E. Pesaro, A. de Matos Soeiro, C.V. Serrano, et al.
Effect of beta-blockers on the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Clinics (Sao Paulo), 65 (2010), pp. 265-270
[11]
E. Puerto, A. Viana-Tejedor, M. Martínez-Sellés, et al.
Temporal trends in mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction in the elderly.
J Am Coll Cardiol, 72 (2018), pp. 959-966
[12]
K. Mars, J. Wallert, C. Held, et al.
Association between β-blocker dose and cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction: insights from the SWEDEHEART registry.
Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care, 10 (2021), pp. 372-379
[13]
J.J. Goldberger, H. Subačius, O.C. Marroquin, OBTAIN (Outcomes of Beta-Blocker Therapy After Myocardial Infarction) Investigators, et al.
One-year landmark analysis of the effect of beta-blocker dose on survival after acute myocardial infarction.
J Am Heart Assoc, 10 (2021), pp. e019017
Copyright © 2021. Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia
Baixar PDF
Idiomas
Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia
Opções de artigo
Ferramentas
en pt

Are you a health professional able to prescribe or dispense drugs?

Você é um profissional de saúde habilitado a prescrever ou dispensar medicamentos

Ao assinalar que é «Profissional de Saúde», declara conhecer e aceitar que a responsável pelo tratamento dos dados pessoais dos utilizadores da página de internet da Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia (RPC), é esta entidade, com sede no Campo Grande, n.º 28, 13.º, 1700-093 Lisboa, com os telefones 217 970 685 e 217 817 630, fax 217 931 095 e com o endereço de correio eletrónico revista@spc.pt. Declaro para todos os fins, que assumo inteira responsabilidade pela veracidade e exatidão da afirmação aqui fornecida.