Mortality reduction with β-blockers in ischemic cardiomyopathy patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with systolic heart failure (HF) carries high morbidity and mortality rates. Reducing perioperative mortality with β-blockers (BBs) may help improve outcomes. Analysis of 4903 patients who underwent isolated CABG surgery was performed. In-hospital mortality of systolic HF patients who received BBs was 2.03%; systolic HF patients who did not receive BBs had a mortality of 5.20%. Thirty-day mortality was 2.98% in the patients with systolic HF who received BBs and 6.16% in the patients who did not. β-Blockade did not affect the mortality in patients with preserved systolic function. Cardiogenic shock was a predictor of increased mortality in patients with systolic HF, while BBs reduced mortality. BBs are associated with decreased in-hospital and 30-day mortality in patients with systolic HF. BB therapy should be considered in patients with systolic HF who are undergoing CABG. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.