Role of beta-blockers in cardiovascular disease in 2019

Publication date: Available online 8 August 2019Source: Revista Española de Cardiología (English Edition)Author(s): Juan Martínez-Milla, Sergio Raposeiras-Roubín, Domingo A. Pascual-Figal, Borja IbáñezAbstractBeta-blockers are the cornerstone of treatment for various cardiovascular conditions. Although their effects have classically been considered to be driven by their antagonistic and competitive action on beta-adrenergic receptors, nowadays it is known that their effect goes beyond that of mere competition with catecholamines on these receptors. Beta-blockers were discovered as antianginal drugs in the 1960s and are currently widely used in heart failure, arrhythmias, and ischemic heart disease. In this article, we review the evidence for the beneficial effects of beta-blockers in these conditions, as well as the current recommendations in clinical practice guidelines for their use. Surprisingly, despite having been prescribed for more than 4 decades, new, previously unnoticed mechanisms of action on cellular compartments are still being discovered, which continues to open up new horizons for their use. All in all, beta-blockers are one of the most fascinating drug groups in our therapeutic armamentarium.ResumenLos bloqueadores beta son una piedra angular del tratamiento de diferentes enfermedades cardiovasculares. Si bien clásicamente se ha considerado que sus efectos se deben a su acción antagónica y competitiva en los receptores adrenérgicos beta, hoy se conoc...
Source: Revista Espanola de Cardiologia - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research