Secondary prevention of coronary events after myocardial infarction. Beta-blockers and/or anti-platelets: to whom, when and for how long. A review.

The institution of a "Cardioprophylactic" drug regimen after myocardial infarction should take into consideration the concept of high or low risk patients for secondary coronary events and the concept of a decremential mortality rate as time elapses after myocardial infarction. Thus, the efficacy of a particular drug in preventing secondary coronary events may vary with the time elapsed from infarction and thus with the underlying patho-physiologic mechanism. Furthermore, the administration of a possible effective or proven effective "Cardioprophylactic" drug or drug regimen at a specific time from infarction must take into account the balance between expected benefit and untoward side effects.