In Current Clinical Practice, after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Myocardial Infarction, Are β-Blockers Prescribed for Heart Failure or as Secondary Prevention? A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES: Patients surviving an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are different today than when oral β-blockers first were shown to have an incremental effect on mortality. They are now, as opposed to then, offered revascularization procedures and effective secondary prevention. In this pilot-study, we aimed to explore the prescription of β-blockers to these patients stratified by their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHODS: Consecutive stable patients treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure following an AMI were included for measurement of LVEF after 1-5 days. β-Blocker treatment was recorded at inclusion and after 3 months. RESULTS: We included 159 patients, 89% with LVEF ≥40% (56% had a LVEF ≥50% preserved, 33% LVEF 40-49% mid-range and 11% LVEF <40% reduced). At discharge the prescription rates of β-blockers according to LVEF stratification were 79% for preserved, 79% for mid-range and 94% for reduced LVEF. After 3 months 72% of all patients continued such treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective study, a large proportion of contemporary managed patients with AMI but without clinical heart failure does not have reduced LVEF shortly after PCI, but the majority is still treated with a β-blocker.