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Beta-blocker treatment in heart failure. Role of heart rate reduction

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Heart rate as a determinant of cardiac function

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Abstract

The potential therapeutic effect of beta-blocker treatment in chronic heart failure is still actively being investigated through large scale clinical trials. The underlying cardioprotective mechanism relies upon protection against the deleterious consequences of cardiac sympathetic stimulation. Heart rate reduction induced by beta-blocker treatment may importantly contribute to such benefit especially by improving myocardial energetic balance and by inducing a less negative force-frequency relationship. Results from clinical trials such as CIBIS suggest that prognosis in chronic heart failure may partly depend on left ventricular function improvement, but additional data are needed to more precisely define the relationships between heart rate reduction, left ventricular function improvement, and survival.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacology Department, Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, Paris, France

    P. Lechat

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Kardiologie und Pneumologie, Universität Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany

    G. Hasenfuss

  2. Medizinische Fakultät, Ethik Kommission, Elsässer Straße 2a, Haus 1a, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    H. Just

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© 2000 Steinkopff Verlag Darmstadt

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Lechat, P. (2000). Beta-blocker treatment in heart failure. Role of heart rate reduction. In: Hasenfuss, G., Just, H. (eds) Heart rate as a determinant of cardiac function. Steinkopff. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-47070-7_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-47070-7_18

  • Publisher Name: Steinkopff

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-47072-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-47070-7

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