We now have the second installment in our series Hot Topics in Cardiology – on
new indications for beta-blockers. It seems almost strange to think that beta-blockers could be a hot topic since they have been used for decades for the
management of all types of cardiovascular disease. But in fact, they are “hot”. Many new and expanded indications for beta blockade are being investigated
and identified.
Our first issue looked at various indications in the operating room and post-operative setting. In this issue of Hot Topics in Cardiology, Akinci provides a fascinating review of a wealth of data that shows the benefits of beta blockade in a setting far afield from the coronary care unit. This monograph deals with the issue of traumatic brain injury and how tachycardia plays a major role in relation to mortality and adverse outcomes. Beta blockade appears to provide some benefit in this setting. The trickier area of perioperative use of beta blockade is then addressed, where inducing hypotension could actually be detrimental.
With these exciting developments, new guidance and careful consideration are warranted in order to optimize the use of beta-blockers while maintaining the delicate balance required in the trauma setting.