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Beta-blockers are a type of drug prescribed for individuals who have heart problems. They have been proven as a successful way to treat heart problems, but doctors still are reluctant to prescribe them for every patient with heart disease.
Researchers in the division of cardiology at the School of Medicine are heading a multicenter study that will evaluate a type of beta-blocker, esmolol, in patients who normally would receive other drugs. A total of 30 clinical centers and between 500 and 1,000 patients with heart attacks or threatened heart attacks will participate in the study.
"This study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravenous esmolol compared to other forms of therapy in patients with heart disease," said Arthur J. Labovitz, M.D., professor of internal medicine in the division of cardiology and principal investigator of the study. "The ultimate goal of this study is to extend the use of beta-blockers to a greater percentage of patients eligible for the drug."
If the study proves that beta-blockers are safe and can be prescribed without risk of side effects, patients and physicians will have more options to combat heart disease.
"I think if we come to the conclusion that more people with heart disease can be treated with beta-blockers, it will affect primary care physicians more than anyone else," Labovitz said. "Primary care physicians have always used beta-blockers the least, and the expanded use of beta-blockers by primary care doctors will enhance their patients' chances for recovery by a significant percentage."