Short term cardioselective beta-blocker use safe in COPD
Blood and immune system
Resource Type: Question and Answer
Author: NZ Doctor
Published: July 2007
Question
Can I safely prescribe cardioselective beta-blockers for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?
Bottom Line
In patients with COPD, cardioselective beta-blockers given as a single dose or for longer duration produce no change in FEV1 or respiratory symptoms compared to placebo, and do not affect the FEV1 treatment response to beta-2 agonists.
Caveat
The mean duration of the studies included in the meta-analysis was only 3.7 weeks (range 2 days to 12 weeks). Most of the studies were small.
Context
Beta-blocker therapy has a proven mortality benefit in patients with hypertension, heart failure and coronary heart disease. Traditionally these drugs have been considered contraindicated in patients with COPD.