The role of long term beta-blockade after myocardial infarction: Paper 1.

The opinion is emerging that beta-blocking drugs have an important role in management of patients following acute myocardial infarction. Already beta-blocking drugs are accepted as the treatment of choice in hypertension and in angina pectoris--in the major risk factor and consequence respectively of coronary atherosclerosis, and both commonly recognized in patients who survive acute myocardial infarction. But beta-blocking drugs also may be of benefit in reducing the incidence and risk of subsequent infarction, and so may be of value for long term treatment of patients who have no symptoms whatever following acute infarction.