Researchers presented a non-inferiority study conducted at 49 centers in France, with a randomized cohort of stable post-acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients who were more than 6 months past the acute event and were on chronic beta-blocker treatment, with an ejection fraction ≥40%. The primary objective of the study was to assess the occurrence of death, MI, stroke, and hospitalization for cardiovascular causes.
The study included 3700 randomized patients with an average follow-up of 3 years. The primary endpoint occurred in 21.1% of patients who continued beta-blockers, compared to 23.8% of those who discontinued the treatment (hazard ratio [HR] 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.33; p for non-inferiority = 0.44).
There were no differences in quality of life between the randomized groups (mean difference of 0.002).
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Results showed that discontinuation of beta-blocker therapy was not non-inferior to continuation regarding the pre-established composite endpoint. Additionally, there were increases in blood pressure, resting heart rate, and hospitalizations in the group that discontinued treatment.
Presented by Johanne Silvain at the Hot-Line Sessions, ESC Congress 2024, August 30-September 2, London, England.
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