Should β-blocker use during non-cardiac surgery be stopped?

Currently European and American guidelines recommend perioperative β-blockers for people at risk of cardiac events who are undergoing high or intermediate risk surgery or vascular surgery. However, a meta analysis of rcts of  β-blockade in such circumstances, recently published by Heart Online "indicates a statistically significant 27% increase in mortality from the initiation of perioperative β-blockade that guidelines currently recommend", and suggests up to 10OOO deaths may have been caused in the UK because of this.The news of this is causing much debate.

Source: Doc2Doc BMJ Cardiology - August 5, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Sabreena Source Type: forums