The use of beta-blockade therapy in treatment of congestive heart failure.

If the activation of the sympathetic nervous system in chronic heart failure is causally related to progressive pump dysfunction, sudden death, and exercise intolerance, then selective blockade of the beta-adrenergic system may prove to be therapeutically beneficial. This report briefly reviews the evidence that there is systemic activation of the sympathetic nervous system in chronic heart failure, postulates mechanisms by which this activation might contribute to the morbidity and mortality of the syndrome, and hypothesizes further regarding how beta blockade may be beneficial in heart failure. The clinical evidence that the use of beta blockers is beneficial in the treatment of chronic heart failure is reviewed.