Metoprolol and carvedilol, two of the most common beta-blockers prescribed after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), largely benefit patients in the same way, according to new findings published in the American Journal of Cardiology.
There is one key difference, however, when it comes to the treatment of patients with depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Ā
The authors tracked data from the OBTAIN registry, which included more than 7,000 patients AMI treated in the United States and Canada. The analysis included more than 4,000 patients prescribed metoprolol at discharge and more than 1,000 patients prescribed carvedilol. Patients sent home without being prescribed either medication were excluded from the study.
Patients treated with carvedilol were slightly older (a mean patient age of 64.4 compared to 63.3) and had more comorbidities. Mean doses for the two medications ādid not significantly differ.ā
