Adherence to beta-blocker therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after acute coronary syndrome

Objective: There is limited data on adherence to beta-blocker (BB) therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) complicated by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of these patients and their adherence to prescribed therapy. Materials and methods: The study included a total of 140 consecutive patients of both sexes diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome. The participants were categorised into two categories. Group A consists of 75 patients with ACS and COPD, while Group B includes 65 individuals with ACS without COPD. The adherence to prescribed BB therapy within one year of discharge was monitored. Results: The study population‘s mean age was 64.96 ± 9.50 years. The two groups do not differ significantly in terms of sex distribution. Group A‘s BB intake rate at discharge was 79%, and Group B‘s was 72.3% (NS). After six months, 70.7% of COPD patients received BB treatment. This share rose by about 30% (from 72.3% to 100%, p = 0.003) in the control group. Due to lower adherence to prescribed therapy (69% vs. 97%, p = 0.035) and failure to initiate BB in ACS-COPD patients, this disparity remained at follow-up. Conclusion: Current recommendations support the safety and benefi t of using selective β-blockers in patients with ACS and COPD. These medications must be included in hospital settings to minimise therapy inertia and increase the survival rate of these polymorbid patients.