Chronic Heart Failure Research Paper
The Role of Beta-Blockers in the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure
In 1988 Sir James Whyte Black was honored with a Nobel Prize for medicine for his efforts in the discovery of the beta blocker propanolol and the histamine receptor agonist cimetidine. Beta blockers were originally developed to treat angina pectoris but were discovered to also treat hypertension, tachycardia, an myocardial infarctions. The discovery of propanolol was said to be the greatest discovery since digitalis.
The mechanism of beta blockers treating CHF is not exact but may include a “reduction in circulating levels of vasoconstrictors, reductions in blood pressure, heart rate and myocardial oxygen consumption, up regulation of myocardial B-1- receptor density, thereby improving contractile function, a reduction in myocardial gene production of inflammatory cytokines, and increase in diastolic perfusion, and normalization of the expression of several myocardial genes involved in the development of pathologic hypertrophy”. The role of beta blockers has changed throughout the decades in part due to the changing theory of heart failure. Heart failure was thought to be …show more content…
Beta blockers are recommended for all patients that show symptomatic CHF unless there is a contraindication, but should be clinically stable before starting the regimen. Beneficial effects of beta blockers on morbidity and mortality in patients with CHF are proven. Treatment with beta blockers for patients with heart failure with systolic dysfunction is a huge medical accomplishment . High heart rate patients ultimately have a poorer prognosis and a treatment aimed at the reduction of the heart rate below 70 beats per minute. Beta blockers role to treat these patients is more important than
In 1988 Sir James Whyte Black was honored with a Nobel Prize for medicine for his efforts in the discovery of the beta blocker propanolol and the histamine receptor agonist cimetidine. Beta blockers were originally developed to treat angina pectoris but were discovered to also treat hypertension, tachycardia, an myocardial infarctions. The discovery of propanolol was said to be the greatest discovery since digitalis.
The mechanism of beta blockers treating CHF is not exact but may include a “reduction in circulating levels of vasoconstrictors, reductions in blood pressure, heart rate and myocardial oxygen consumption, up regulation of myocardial B-1- receptor density, thereby improving contractile function, a reduction in myocardial gene production of inflammatory cytokines, and increase in diastolic perfusion, and normalization of the expression of several myocardial genes involved in the development of pathologic hypertrophy”. The role of beta blockers has changed throughout the decades in part due to the changing theory of heart failure. Heart failure was thought to be …show more content…
Beta blockers are recommended for all patients that show symptomatic CHF unless there is a contraindication, but should be clinically stable before starting the regimen. Beneficial effects of beta blockers on morbidity and mortality in patients with CHF are proven. Treatment with beta blockers for patients with heart failure with systolic dysfunction is a huge medical accomplishment . High heart rate patients ultimately have a poorer prognosis and a treatment aimed at the reduction of the heart rate below 70 beats per minute. Beta blockers role to treat these patients is more important than