Key result
Beta-blocker therapy reaches only 45% of COPD patients with cardiac indications admitted for acute exacerbations.
Observational
Yes
Beta-blockers remain under-prescribed (45%) in patients with COPD and co-morbid cardiac indications, highlighting a gap in optimal medical management.
Beta-blocker under-prescription persists in COPD with cardiac indications; leaves open whether targeted interventions improve uptake without respiratory harm.
The use of beta-blockers in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and co-morbid cardiovascular disease is controversial, despite increasing evidence to support their use as safe and efficacious. This study retrospectively assessed the rates of beta-blocker prescription in patients admitted to two Australian tertiary hospitals for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This revealed that less than half of patients (45%) with known cardiac indications were receiving beta-blocker therapy, evident across all degrees of airways disease severity. Further work is needed to ensure that medical management of this patient group is optimised.
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Neef et al. (2016) conducted an observational in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and co-morbid cardiovascular disease. Beta-blocker therapy was evaluated on Rates of beta-blocker prescription. Beta-blocker therapy was prescribed to only 45% of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and known cardiac indications admitted for acute exacerbation.
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