Tag: beta blockers

Categories : Cardiovascular DiseaseTags :

Propranolol may Halve Risk of Ischaemic Stroke in Women with Migraines

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Credit: American Heart Association

Propranolol, a drug often used to treat hypertension and prevent migraines was associated with a reduction in ischaemic stroke risk among women – but not men – using the drug for migraine prevention, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025. The meeting is in Los Angeles, Feb. 5-7, 2025, and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.

The beta blocker propranolol had a stronger protective effect for ischaemic stroke risk in women with migraine, particularly those without aura. The medication did not have the same protective effect on men.

Migraine headaches are common in the general population, but they occur three times more often in women than in men. This debilitating condition is associated with an increased risk of stroke. While the beta blocker propranolol can be used to prevent migraines, its effectiveness in reducing overall stroke risk is still uncertain.

“Migraine is an often-ignored risk factor for cardiovascular issues. Until recently, preventive treatments for people who have migraines were not available,” said lead study author Mulubrhan Mogos, PhD, MSc, FAHA, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. “Many women suffer from migraines, and it’s important to note that propranolol may be beneficial for these women, particularly those who experience migraine without aura. This is an important discovery for those dealing with migraines.”

Mogos also noted that migraine disproportionately affects women from historically under-resourced communities, and this disparity may impact the ability to achieve education goals or maintain stable employment, creating a vicious cycle. While new treatments have proven effective, they may not be accessible to women in these groups due to high costs.

For the study, researchers reviewed more than 3 million electronic health records from two large databases. In separate analyses, researchers identified people with migraine who developed stroke and a control group of those with migraine who did not develop stroke. They then assessed whether the individuals were treated with propranolol for migraine and whether that treatment had impacted stroke risk.

“We initially looked at overall stroke and then ischemic stroke specifically. We refined our analysis further by controlling for possible confounders and found the association is significant and stronger for ischaemic stroke,” Mogos said.

After adjusting for potential variables, such as demographics (age, sex, race), other conditions (high blood pressure, diabetes, etc) and hormonal factors (use of birth control, pregnancy – considered separately for each woman) that might affect results the analysis found:

  • Propranolol was significantly associated with a reduced risk of ischaemic stroke in women with migraine, particularly in those without aura. The risk of developing a stroke was 52% lower for women taking the medication in one database analysis and 39% lower in the other. No stroke risk reduction was seen in men in either analysis group.
  • The protective effect of propranolol was stronger for ischaemic stroke and in women with migraine without aura. Migraine aura can include disturbances, such as flashing lights, blind spots, zigzag patterns or seeing coloured spots. Other symptoms include tingling or numbness in the face or hands, difficulty speaking, dizziness or confusion.
  • Secondary analyses showed lower overall stroke rates in women taking propranolol at multiple time points in both databases.

“Our findings indicate that women and health care professionals should discuss the advantages of preventive migraine interventions. For under-resourced individuals who bear a greater burden from this condition and may lack access to new treatments, we must ensure these treatments are available to them. This approach can help reduce health disparities,” Mogos said.

The main limitation is that this was a review of past data using electronic health records, which may introduce biases, such as misclassification errors from reliance on ICD codes (codes used to classify and report health conditions and diseases). These findings highlight the need for studies that look forward in time to confirm these results.

Source: American Heart Association

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease Mental HealthTags :

Beta Blockers may Also Cause Depression for Cardiac Patients

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Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya on Unsplash

Patients who have had a heart attack are typically treated using beta blockers. According to a Swedish study conducted earlier this year, this drug is unlikely to be needed for those heart patients who have a normal pumping ability. Now a sub-study at Uppsala University shows that there is also a risk that these patients will become depressed by the treatment.

“We found that beta blockers led to slightly higher levels of depression symptoms in patients who had had a heart attack but were not suffering from heart failure. At the same time, beta blockers have no life-sustaining function for this group of patients,” says Philip Leissner, a doctoral student in cardiac psychology and the study’s first author. The study was published in European Heart Journal Acute Cardiovascular Care.

Beta blockers are drugs that block the effects of adrenaline on the heart and have been used for decades as a basic treatment for all heart attack patients. In recent years, their importance has started to be questioned as new, successful treatments have begun to be developed. This is mainly the case for heart attack patients who do not suffer from heart failure.

The researchers wanted to look at the side effects of beta blockers, that is, whether they affect anxiety and depression levels. This is because older research and clinical experience suggests that beta blockers are linked to negative side effects such as depression, difficulty sleeping and nightmares.

Earlier this year, a major national study was conducted in Sweden, which found that those who received beta-blocking drugs were not protected from relapse or death compared to those who did not receive the drug. Leissner and his colleagues based their research on these findings and conducted a sub-study. It ran from 2018 to 2023 and involved 806 patients who had had a heart attack but no problems with heart failure. Half were given beta blockers and the other half were not. About 100 of the patients receiving beta blockers had been taking them since before the study, and the researchers observed more severe symptoms of depression in them.

“Most doctors used to give beta blockers even to patients without heart failure, but as the evidence in favour of doing so is no longer so strong, this should be reconsidered. We could see that some of these patients appear to be more at risk of depression. If the drug doesn’t make a difference to their heart, then they are taking it unnecessarily and at risk of becoming depressed,” adds Leissner.

Source: Uppsala University

Categories : Cardiovascular DiseaseTags :

Is Long-term Beta-blocker Therapy Needed after a Heart Attack?

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Pexels Photo by Freestocksorg

For patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI), cardiovascular safety of interrupting beta-blocker could not be shown in comparison to continuation and there was no benefit to the patients’ quality of life, according to late-breaking research presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2024.1 

“Improvements in MI management and data from observational studies have led physicians to question whether continuing beta-blockers after one year post-MI is needed since unnecessary treatment may result in side effects.2-5 We conducted the ABYSS trial to provide conclusive randomised data on the effects of beta-blocker interruption vs. continuation on cardiovascular events and quality of life, but we were unable to show safety preservation in terms of clinical events nor any benefit on quality of life with beta-blocker interruption,” said Principal Investigator, Professor Johanne Silvain of the Sorbonne University, Paris, France. 

The open-label, non-inferiority, randomised ABYSS trial, conducted by the ACTION Group, included patients with a prior MI taking long-term beta-blockers, with a left ventricular ejection fraction of at least 40% and no cardiovascular events in the previous six months. Participants were randomised (1:1) to interrupting or continuing their β-blocker medication. 

The primary endpoint was a composite of death, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke or hospitalisation for cardiovascular reasons at the longest follow-up (minimum, one year), according to an analysis of non-inferiority (defined as a between-group absolute difference of < 3 percentage points for the upper boundary of the two-sided 95% confidence interval [CI]). The main secondary endpoint was the change in quality of life as measured by the European Quality of Life–5 Dimensions questionnaire. 

In total 3698 patients were randomised from 49 sites in France. The mean age was 64 years and 17% were female. The median time between last MI and randomisation was 2.9 years (interquartile range 1.2–6.4 years). 

Over median follow-up of 3 years, interruption of long-term beta-blocker treatment was not shown to be non-inferior to beta-blocker continuation. A primary-outcome event occurred in 23.8% of patients in the interruption group and in 21.1% in the continuation group (risk difference 2.8 percentage points; 95% CI <0.1–5.5), with a hazard ratio of 1.16 (95% CI 1.01–1.33; p = 0.44 for non-inferiority).  

Death occurred in 4.1% in the interruption group and 4.0% in the continuation group, while MI occurred in 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Of note, hospitalisation for cardiovascular causes occurred in 18.9% in the interruption group and 16.6% in the continuation group. Beta-blocker interruption was also associated with increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate at 6 months (all p<0.001 vs. beta-blocker continuation) and during the study follow up. Beta-blocker interruption did not improve the patients’ quality of life.  

Summing up the evidence from the ABYSS trial, Professor Silvain concluded: “Differences between the groups with respect to hospitalisation for cardiovascular reasons and the negative effect on blood pressure levels, together with the absence of quality-of-life improvement do not support interruption of a chronic beta-blocker treatment in post-MI patients. These results must be put into context with recent findings from the open-label REDUCE-MI6 trial and ongoing trials to provide additional evidence on the optimal use of beta-blockers after MI.”  

References

  1. ‘Beta blocker interruption in patients with prior myocardial infarction: results of the ABYSS trial and effect on blood pressure and heart rate control’ will be discussed during Hot Line 1 on Friday 30 August in room London. 
  2. Holt A, Blanche P, Zareini B, et al. Effect of long-term beta-blocker treatment following myocardial infarction among stable, optimally treated patients without heart failure in the reperfusion era: a Danish, nationwide cohort study. Eur Heart J. 2021;42:907–914. 
  3. Park CS, Yang H-M, Ki Y-J, et al. Left ventricular ejection fraction 1 year after acute myocardial infarction identifies the benefits of the long-term use of beta-blockers: analysis of data from the KAMIR-NIH Registry. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2021;14:e010159.  
  4. Puymirat E, Riant E, Aissaoui N, et al. β Blockers and mortality after myocardial infarction in patients without heart failure: multicentre prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2016;354:i4801. 
  5. Kim J, Kang D, Park H, et al. Long-term β-blocker therapy and clinical outcomes after acute myocardial infarction in patients without heart failure: nationwide cohort study. Eur Heart J. 2020;41:3521–3529. 
  6. Yndigegn T, Lindahl B, Mars K, et al. Beta-blockers after myocardial infarction and preserved ejection fraction. N Engl J Med. 2024;390:1372–1381.  

Source: European Society of Cardiology

Categories : CancerTags :

Beta Blockers Plus Chemotherapy Cut Metastasis in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

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Breast cancer cells. Image by National Cancer Institute

A new international study has for the first time, identified that beta-blockers could significantly enhance the therapeutic effect of anthracycline chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) by reducing metastasis. The results are published in Science Translational Medicine.

Anthracyclines are a class of drugs used in chemotherapy to treat many cancers, including TNBC.

Monash University researchers have previously shown in a clinical trial that beta blockers are linked with reduced metastasis. However, until now, it was unclear how beta-blockers would interact with common cancer treatments.

In this new study, the team used mouse models of cancer and analysed large-scale patient clinical data, in collaboration with the Cancer Registry of Norway, to discover that anthracycline chemotherapy on its own, in the absence of a beta-blocker, induces nerve growth in tumours.

However, adding a beta blocker to chemotherapy inhibited nerve fibre activity in tumours and stopped the cancer from coming back after treatment.

Lead author Dr Aeson Chang said the findings reveal an unanticipated insight into why chemotherapy treatment does not always work as it should.

“We set out to build on previous studies that have shown beta-blockers can halt the stress response experienced by cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and stop the cancer from spreading.

In this new study, not only did we discover the biological effect of beta-blockers when used alongside anthracycline chemotherapy, we also discovered why they are effective,” said Dr Chang.

“In mouse models of TNBC, we found that anthracycline chemotherapy was able to increase sympathetic nerve fibre activity in tumours. Activation of these stress neurons can help tumour cells spread and, fortunately, we found that beta blockers could stop this effect. Our hope is that this exciting discovery will pave the way for further research and, ultimately, lead to improved outcomes for patients.”

Senior author, Professor Erica Sloan, who has been exploring the use of beta-blockers as a novel strategy to slow cancer progression for a number of years, said the study provides important clues about why beta-blockers may help improve the clinical management of TNBC.

“While many patients will be cured by treatment, unfortunately, in some patients the cancer may return – this study has helped us understand why. Our findings show that anthracycline chemotherapy supports the growth of nerves, which can support cancer relapse. This is important, as it tells us that targeting nerves using a beta blocker can improve response to treatment,” said Professor Sloan.

“Beta blocker use has been consistently linked to reduced metastatic relapse and cancer-specific survival in TNBC patients. However, the lack of understanding of how beta blockers improve chemotherapy – which is a core component of the standard treatment for TNBC – has limited the translation of these findings into the cancer clinic,” said Professor Sloan.

“We believe this study presents an exciting opportunity to further explore the use of beta-blockers as a novel strategy in the treatment of TNBC.”

Source: Monash University

Categories : Cardiovascular DiseaseTags :

Time to Rethink Beta Blockers as Secondary Prevention for Heart Attack Survivors?

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Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash

Secondary prevention after a heart attack, where beta blockers are used over the long term to curb the risk of further heart attacks or death, doesn’t seem to be warranted in patients who don’t have heart failure, suggests a large study published in the journal Heart.

The researchers found no difference in these risks between patients taking beta blockers more than a year after their heart attack and those not on these drugs.

Beta blockers are mostly used to manage abnormal heart rhythms, as well as angina and high blood pressure. They are routinely prescribed after a heart attack as secondary prevention to lower the risk of recurrence and other cardiovascular complications.

But it’s not clear if these drugs are warranted in patients who don’t have heart failure, or a potentially fatal complication of heart attack known as left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) beyond the first year.

Most of the current evidence is based on the results of clinical trials that predate major changes to the routine care of heart attack patients, explain the researchers.

The researchers drew on 43 618 adults who had had a heart attack between 2005 and 2016 that required hospital treatment, and whose details had been entered into the national Swedish register for coronary heart disease (SWEDEHEART).

None of these patients had heart failure or LVSD: 34 253 of them were prescribed beta blockers and were still on these drugs 1 year after hospital discharge; 9365 hadn’t been prescribed these drugs. Their average age was 64 and around 1 in 4 were women.

The researchers wanted to find out if there were any differences between the two groups in terms of deaths from any cause and rates of further heart attacks, revascularisation, or hospitalisation for heart failure.

The real time data showed that long term treatment with beta blockers wasn’t associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes during an average monitoring period of 4.5 years.

Some 6475 (19%) of those on beta blockers, and 2028 (22%) of those who weren’t, died from any cause, or had another heart attack, or required unscheduled revascularisation, or were admitted to hospital for heart failure.

After accounting for potentially influential factors, including demographics and relevant co-existing conditions, no significant difference was seen in rates of these events between the two groups.

As an observational study, it can’t establish cause. Additionally, despite being the largest study of its kind to date, the findings should be viewed in the context of certain limitations, acknowledge the researchers.

Patients weren’t randomised to treatment; only certain cardiovascular outcomes were included; there was no indication of how consistently patients took their drugs; nor any information on their health related quality of life.

And there were some differences between the two groups in respect of factors known to influence the risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes.

But, the researchers point out, beta blockers are associated with several side effects such as depression and fatigue, and it’s now time to reassess the value of long term treatment with these drugs in heart attack patients who don’t have heart failure or LVSD, they suggest.

In a linked editorial, Professor Ralph Stewart and Dr Tom Evans write: “Despite strong evidence that long-term beta-blockers can improve outcomes after [heart attack], it has been uncertain whether this benefit applies to lower risk patients who are taking other evidence-based therapies and who have a [normal functioning heart].”

They point out: “Recommendations on the duration of beta blocker therapy are variable or absent because this question was not specifically evaluated in clinical trials. Most patients take daily medications for many years after a [heart attack] because they believe they are beneficial.”

And they conclude: “[This] study raises an important question directly relevant to the quality of care –do patients with a normal [functioning heart] benefit from long term beta-blocker therapy after [heart attack]? To answer this question, more evidence from large randomised clinical trials is needed.”

Source: EurekAlert!

Categories : Cardiovascular DiseaseTags :

Beta Blockers and Antiplatelet Drugs Tied to Heat-related MI Risk

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Photo by Camilo Jimenez on Unsplash

During hot weather events, people taking beta blockers and antiplatelet medications such as aspirin could be at increased risk of a myocardial infarction (MI), amplifying the risk already present from hot weather.

A new study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research found that, among people suffering non-fatal MI associated with hot weather, a greater portion are taking these heart drugs.

“Patients taking these two medications have higher risk,” said Assistant Professor Kai Chen, first author of the study. “During heat waves, they should really take precautions.”

External environmental factors like air pollution and cold weather can trigger MIs, and there is growing evidence to suggest that hot weather can do so, too. But epidemiologists are still working to identify which groups of people are most vulnerable to these environmental extremes.

The authors looked at 2494 cases sourced from a registry, in which individuals experienced a non-fatal MI in Augsburg, Germany during the hot-weather months (May–September) between 2001 and 2014.

In previous research, they had shown that exposure to either heat or cold made heart attacks more likely, and they calculated that heat-related MI rates would rise once the planet has warmed by 2–3°C.

The current study built on that research by examining patients’ medication use prior to their MI.

They analysed the data in a way that let patients serve as their own controls, by comparing heat exposure on the day of the MI versus the same days of the week within the same month. That is, if a person had an NI on the third Thursday in June, the authors compared their temperature exposure that day to their temperature exposure on other, “control” Thursdays in June.

It turned out that users of beta-blockers or antiplatelet medications were likelier to have an MI during the hottest days compared to control days. Antiplatelet medication use was associated with a 63% increase in risk and beta-blockers with a 65% increase. People taking both drugs had a 75% higher risk. Non-users of those medications were not more likely to have a heart attack on hot days.

When researchers compared younger patients (25–59 years) to older ones (60–74 years), they found, as expected, that the younger ones were a healthier group, with lower rates of coronary heart disease. Yet younger patients taking beta-blockers and antiplatelet medications were more susceptible to heat-related heart attack than older patients, despite the older ones having more heart disease.

Another clue that these two medication types may render people more vulnerable is that, other heart medications generally didn’t show a connection to heat-related heart attacks. An exception was statins, which taken by younger people, were associated with an over threefold risk of a heart attack on hot days.

“We hypothesise that some of the medications may make it hard to regulate body temperature,” Asst Prof Chen said. He plans to find out why in future studies.

The results suggest that as climate change progresses, heart attacks might become a greater hazard to some people with cardiovascular disease.

Source: Yale School of Public Health