Should Beta-Blockers Be Stopped if Myocardial Ischaemia Occurs?

56 patients who were taking a long-term β-blocker, and in whom myocardial ischaemia occurred, were randomised to stop or to continue the drug. Assessed in terms of deaths, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, further myocardial ischaemia and arrhythmias (except atrial fibrillation), the outcome did not differ significantly in the two groups. We found no evidence in this small series that either maintaining or stopping β-blockers after an episode of myocardial ischaemia significantly alters the short-term prognosis of chronically β-blocked patients.