An article in yesterday's Sunday Mail stated that Betablockers are not the first choice now for heart problems as research shows they are ineffective; in fact, they haven't been for a while and new patients would not be prescribed them and the preferred drugs are ACE inhibitors.
I have been on a betablocker for years (AF) and my GP, supposedly, reviews my medication annually, but no mention has been made about changing my drugs.
Has anyone any knowledge, experience, of this. Thank you.
With the caveat that I’m not medically qualified. Beta blockers are no longer first choice for hypertension and haven’t been for a number of years, but remain an appropriate first line choice for other issues like arrhythmias, including SVT and AF. I suspect this is what the article was talking about as ACE inhibitors are primarily a treatment for hypertension. The reason beta blockers are appropriate for SVT and AF is because the mode of action is they block adrenaline release: episodes of both arrhythmias are believed to be triggered by premature contractions (ectopics), which are adrenaline mediated - ectopics most frequently occur due to adrenaline release, so beta blockers reduce the frequency of ectopics by reducing adrenaline, thus (hopefully) preventing/reducing the episodes of arrhythmia.
Interested in this response as I have just been prescribed a beta blocker. I already have low blood pressure so presumably it is to target my arrhythmia.
May be an idea to ask whoever prescribed your medication
Thank you for your response
Thank you
Thank you, your reply is informative
Personally I wouldn't believe anything in the Mail, they really make it up as they go along!!! Charlie_G has given a brilliant explanation.
The Daily Mail's use of minor studies to generate scare stories makes it uniquely unqualified to comment on medical matters,
Thank you for youre response
Just to echo, I wouldn't take any medical advice from the Mail...
Beta blockers prevent adrenaline acting on the heart (and other areas of the body if they are nonspecific). This makes your heart's job a bit easier, by lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
ACE inhibitors (such as Ramipril) reduce the conversion of an enzyme that regulates blood pressure, so keeps blood pressure low.
I'm not a medic - I studied pharmacology - but looking at how the different types of medicine work, the beta blockers might be more suitable for AF than ACE inhibitors.
If you've any concerns about your medication, always best to run it past your doctor or pharmacist.
Thank you for your response
My recent NHS review with a Cardiologist revealed that Beta Blockers do not prevent AF. However when I asked about alternatives as I knew there were newer meds he said they were not appropriate for me. My daily dose of Bisoprolol is now on a pill in the pocket regime. I found keeping hydrated helps.
Thank you for your response
I’m not a medic but as a PhD pharmacologist who spent 35 years in the pharmaceutical business and don’t think you should take any notice of what you’ve read in the MoS. Thankfully, when it come to treatment, cardiologists and GP’s will follow the advice provided by the UK’s NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) and august professional bodies rather than opinion printed in the Mail on Sunday. This clinical advice is always based on all the evidence published in peer reviewed medical journals such as Lancet, Cardiology, New England Journal of Medicine & BMJ etc. Unlike the MoS which will pick and chose key evidence to support its political slant - there is a detailed critical appraisal and review of all the evidence (including any negative data) from clinical trials before any clinical advice is agreed and published. Clinical practice is evidence based which means that it will only change if there is sufficient evidence from statistically powerful, well designed, well controlled and well executed clinal trials to justify change. In the UK and increasingly elsewhere there also has to be evidence that clinical benefits justify any additional costs.
Without even knowing them, I have much greater trust in your GP than the MoS. You should too.
Thank you for your response
I completely agree with your comments about the MoS but also think that sometimes NICE can be a bit behind the curve. I suppose that is to be expected when research is so underfunded and protracted. Before I read research I always check who has funded it, if possible. That said, I would always trust my pharmacist, gp and cardiologist above any article in the media.
Thank you for your reply. I will start to try and find out who has funded research.
I stopped reading/trusting anything printed in the media a long time ago.
I think I will do the same
No mention of AF in the article, not even a hint of any kind.
Thank you for your response
I read that too but it didn't specify exactly what they were no good for or whether they still work for certain things. Newspaper articles are so vague they can be very misleading.
Thank you.
I’ve been on them for 5 month now ( I had stent in March and 2 types didn’t agreed with me . Iam now trying another ..still a couple of side effects but saying all that I have found that they do regulate heart better and stop the hypertension and flutters that I had but I still don’t think Iam on the right tablet yet , so all trial and error
Thank you
can I ask we ones you have tried. I have only been offered bisprolol theycaused bad head doctor said stop taking the they never mentioned trying any more I need to lower my heart rate
The article deals only with the use of beta blockers to treat high blood pressure, not other disorders such as AF or SVT. For many years, doctors have been using ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers to treat high blood pressure, so the Mail on Sunday seems to be a little out of date.
ank youTh
Mentioned this to my Cardiologist yesterday he just smiled kept me on the current 7.5mg Bisoprolol and added Dapagliflozin !!
Need to look to see if Entresto works like an ACE inhibitor I have lowish blood pressure, but I think this maybe because of a lowered Ejection Fraction. Interesting to hear other people's thoughts on this.
Regards
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