BACKGROUND Beta-blocker therapy after acute myocardial infarction (MI) improves survival. Beta-blocker doses used in clinical practice are often substantially lower than those used in the randomized trials establishing their efficacy. OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the association of beta-blocker dose with survival after acute MI, hypothesizing that higher dose beta-blocker therapy will be a...

PURPOSE To evaluate persistency (time on initial therapy) and the clinical impact of latanoprost versus beta-blocker monotherapy in treating glaucoma. METHODS This observational, multicenter, retrospective medical chart review study conducted in four European countries included patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who began their first glaucoma treatment with latan...

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) with atrioventricular block is a rare and malignant arrhythmia, which usually responds poorly to traditional beta-blocker therapy. We describe a male neonate with LQTS with ventricular tachycardia and 2:1 atrioventricular block. This patient's sister had similar presentation and died suddenly at the age of 8 months despite beta-blocker and pacemaker therapy. O...

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether beta-blocker therapy can be safely administered to and improve cardiac function of elderly patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Echocardiography and measurement of the concentrations of natriuretic peptides were carried out in 67 patients with DCM before and after 6 months of beta-blocker therapy: 20 patients >/=65 years of age (older group);...

Background Although the benefits of h-blocker therapy for patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) are independent of pretreatment heart rate, patients with chronic systolic heart failure and low resting heart rates are often excluded from h-blocker therapy. We investigated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of prophylactic pacemaker insertion to facilitate h-blocker use in these pati...

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness and associated costs of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors + beta-blocker versus alpha-2 adrenergic agonists + beta-blocker in glaucoma therapy, as documented by The United Kingdom General Practitioner Research Database (UK-GPRD). RESEARCH DESIGN Patient chart analysis. METHODS Patient records were screened for diagnoses of ocular hypertension or glaucoma, ...

Incomplete bladder emptying or dysfunctional voiding is a common lower urinary tract dysfunction encountered in children. Alpha blocker therapy is used to facilitate bladder emptying in the adult population and has likewise been applied to the pediatric population. Alpha blocker therapy seems well tolerated in children and appears efficacious towards improving bladder emptying in a variety of p...