The role of β-adrenoceptor blockers in modern clinical practice of the family physician

The review article is dedicated to the modern role of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in the practice of a family physician. These drugs remain key tools in the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, chronic heart failure, and arrhythmias. The article emphasizes the necessity of an individualized approach to the selection of beta-adrenoceptor blockers, taking into account pharmacological properties, comorbid conditions, and safety profile. Objective of the work – to analyze and evaluate the role of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in the modern clinical practice of a family physician. A retrospective analysis of literature sources on this topic was performed based on the scientometric databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. During the material processing stage, the most relevant primary sources were selected. The main selection criteria were the authority of the publication and the date of publication. By examining abstracts and full texts of the articles, 45 sources were selected for further analysis. For patients with chronic heart failure, beta-adrenoceptor blockers are a vital component of treatment that reduces mortality. Important criteria for drug selection include cardioselectivity, lipophilicity, the presence of vasodilating action, and intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. New generations of drugs have an additional vasodilating effect, which improves hemodynamics. The family physician must consider the features of pharmacokinetics in kidney and liver pathology and avoid abrupt discontinuation of therapy. The characteristics of the main representatives of this class of drugs are provided with a detailed description of their clinical benefits, dosages, and indications. The article separately considers absolute and relative contraindications for the use of beta-adrenoceptor blockers, as well as management tactics in case of overdose. Thus β-adrenoceptor blockers remain an important component in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, arterial hypertension, and arrhythmias, thanks to their proven ability to reduce mortality and the risk of complications. The efficacy and safety of beta-adrenoceptor blocker use are determined by their pharmacological properties and the presence of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, which requires individualized drug selection depending on concomitant pathology. In the practice of a family physician, it is important to adhere to the principles of rational pharmacotherapy: carefully consider the indications and contraindications for prescription, avoid withdrawal syndrome, and perform gradual dose titration, which ensures the optimal clinical outcome.