β-Blocker therapy for heart failure

Despite therapy with diuretics, digoxin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, congestive heart failure remains an important health problem with high mortality, and it is clear that new treatments for heart failure are needed. Evidence from basic research, animal studies, and clinical human trials indicates that high adrenergic tone in patients with heart failure is deleterious; furthermore, the deleterious effects are partially reversible with beta-adrenergic blockade. This article reviews the recent developments in our understanding of the pathophysiology of heart failure and the recent data concerning the treatment of heart failure with beta-blocking agents.