Key result
β-blockers significantly lowered in-hospital mortality and were associated with better patient outcomes in patients with sepsis and septic shock.
Why the study?
Sepsis remains a leading cause of ICU mortality despite standard care, prompting evaluation of whether β-blockers reduce mortality through potential multisystem benefits.
Do beta-blockers reduce mortality in adult patients with sepsis and septic shock?
Systematic Review
Do beta-blockers reduce mortality in adult patients with sepsis and septic shock?
The use of beta-blockers in patients with sepsis and septic shock may reduce mortality and improve hemodynamics by controlling heart rate and decreasing sympathetic overactivation.
β-Blockers were associated with lower in-hospital mortality in sepsis; supports larger RCTs before practice change.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition leading to various organ dysfunction due to an underlying infection. Despite providing appropriate treatment, it is still one of the most common causes of death among patients who are admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). So, multiple studies have been conducted to identify the potential benefits of various drugs in decreasing mortality in sepsis apart from its traditional treatment options. This study aims to identify whether β-blockers play a role in decreasing mortality in sepsis and septic shock patients because of their potential benefits on several organ systems. Medical databases such as Google Scholar, Summon, PubMed Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) were systematically searched for relevant publications. The identified articles were assessed based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 11 research articles were finalized, for which quality appraisal was done using appropriate appraisal tools. β-blockers significantly lowered the in-hospital mortality in sepsis and septic shock patients, and they were also associated with better patient outcomes. As there are limited studies, further research needs to be done to explore the role of β-blockers in decreasing mortality in critically ill populations such as sepsis and septic shock patients.
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Perala et al. (2024) conducted a systematic review in Sepsis and septic shock. β-blockers vs. Standard care / no β-blockers was evaluated on Mortality. β-blockers significantly lowered in-hospital mortality and were associated with better patient outcomes in patients with sepsis and septic shock.
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