Collaborative Systematic Overview of Randomised Controlled Trials of Beta-Blockers in the Treatment of Heart Failure

• Status: Unknown status
• Trial end date: 2012-12-01

Summary

Several large trials have shown that beta-blocker treatment reduces the risk of death and hospital admission in patients with symptomatic heart failure. Unfortunately, survey data suggests relatively poor utilisation of beta-blockers, despite ample evidence for good tolerability. Additionally there are several important unanswered questions, such as clinical efficacy for specific sub-populations (women, the elderly and patients with diabetes or other co-morbidities) and the effect of beta-blockers in combination with other medications. Previous meta-analyses, based on published tabular data, have been conducted although this approach has important biases and limitations.

We plan to perform a carefully conducted systematic review of individual patient data from the major randomised trials of beta-blockers in heart failure. The goals of this collaborative project are to clarify the overall efficacy of beta-blockers and identify sub-groups that show particular benefit, thereby increasing the use of beta-blockers, reducing adverse clinical outcomes and the high costs associated with this condition.

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust
• Collaborator: University of Oxford
• Treatments: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Bisoprolol; Bucindolol; Carvedilol; Metoprolol; Nebivolol