Chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction after myocardial infarction: are beta-antagonists necessary? A two-year prospective study

Cover Page

Full Text

Open Access Open Access
Restricted Access Access granted
Restricted Access Subscription Access

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of myocardial infarction have triggered an ≥50% increase in the proportion of patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. The relevance of using adrenergic beta-antagonists in this patient cohort remains a topic of active debate.

AIM: To study the two-year catamnesis of patients suffering from myocardial infarction with chronic heart failure and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction who either received or did not receive adrenergic beta-antagonists.

METHODS: The study encompassed 127 patients with myocardial infarction aged 53 (48; 60) years with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. On days 4–9 of myocardial infarction and on its 12- and 24-month anniversary, echocardiography with assessment of global longitudinal strain, longitudinal electrocardiogram monitoring, measurement of N-terminal natriuretic hormone peptide concentration, and a 6-minute walk test were performed. The endpoint was chronic heart failure progression over subsequent 2 years.

RESULTS: The adrenergic beta-antagonist group included 98 patients (77%) who received adrenergic beta-antagonist therapy, whereas the remaining 29 patients (23%) who did not receive such therapy due to hypotension and bradycardia made up the no adrenergic beta-antagonist group. In the adrenergic beta-antagonist group, by the second year of the post-infarction period, there was an increase in the indexed values of end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, a decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction by 3.1% (р = 0.00077) and global longitudinal strain by 2.4% (р = 0.0002); in the other group, these parameters remained flat. In patients of the adrenergic beta-antagonist group, a decrease in chronotropic load on the myocardium and an increase in the circadian index while maintaining its rigid level were recorded; in the no adrenergic beta-antagonist group of patients, an increase in chronotropic load and normalization of the circadian heart rhythm profile were observed as early as by the 12th month of observation. The number of patients with progressive chronic heart failure over 2 years of observation in both groups did not differ: 21% and 24%, respectively (the risk ratio is 0.659; the 95% confidence interval is 0.35–1.243).

CONCLUSION: In today’s context, with the use of reperfusion methods for treating patients with myocardial infarction, it is necessary to conduct large-scale randomized clinical trials studying the effect of adrenergic beta-antagonist therapy on the prognosis in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. According to the results of this study, no significant differences were found in the frequency of progression of chronic heart failure in groups of patients who had suffered myocardial infarction and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. In the group of patients who did not receive adrenergic beta-antagonists, more stable myocardial volume and deformation characteristics were observed within 24 months of myocardial infarction.

About the authors

Elena V. Averyanova

Penza State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: averyanova-elena90@bk.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9925-2096
SPIN-code: 6769-9467

MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine), Associate Professor

Russian Federation, address: 40 Krasnaya st, Penza, 440026

Angelina A. Chernova

Penza State University

Email: angelinakorneeva170498@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0002-7957-8034
SPIN-code: 6328-4745

MD

Russian Federation, address: 40 Krasnaya st, Penza, 440026

Olga D. Vershinina

Penza State University

Email: poloz.ol@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4127-6607
SPIN-code: 3802-9783

MD

Russian Federation, address: 40 Krasnaya st, Penza, 440026

Valentin E. Oleynikov

Penza State University

Email: v.oleynikof@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7463-9259
SPIN-code: 9204-2690

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Professor

Russian Federation, 40 Krasnaya st, Penza, 440026

References

  1. Russian Society of Cardiology. 2020 Clinical practice guidelines for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Russian Journal of Cardiology. 2020;25(11):4103. doi: 10.15829/29/1560-4071-2020-4103 EDN: WXQHEG
  2. Barbarash OL, Duplyakov DV, Zateyshikov DA, et al. 2020 Clinical practice guidelines for acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation. Russian Journal of Cardiology. 2021;26(4):149–202. doi: 10.15829/1560-4071-2021-4449 EDN: BSXPMI
  3. Freemantle N, Cleland J, Young P, et al. beta Blockade after myocardial infarction: systematic review and meta regression analysis. BMJ. 1999;318(7200):1730–1737. doi: 10.1136/bmj.318.7200.1730
  4. Szummer K, Wallentin L, Lindhagen L, et al. Relations between implementation of new treatments and improved outcomes in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction during the last 20 years: experiences from SWEDEHEART registry 1995 to 2014. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(42):3766–3776. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy554
  5. Szummer K, Wallentin L, Lindhagen L, et al. Improved outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction during the last 20 years are related to implementation of evidence-based treatments: experiences from the SWEDEHEART registry 1995-2014. Eur Heart J. 2017;38(41):3056–3065. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx515
  6. Golla MG, Shams P. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38320083/
  7. Kaddoura R, Patel A. Revisiting beta-blocker therapy in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Curr Probl Cardiol. 2023;48(12):102015. doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.102015
  8. Cleland JF, Bunting KV, Flather MD, et al. Beta-blockers for heart failure with reduced, mid-range, and preserved ejection fraction: an individual patient-level analysis of double-blind randomized trials. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(1):26–35. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx564
  9. Fukuta H, Goto T, Wakami K, et al. Effect of beta-blockers on heart failure severity in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Heart Fail Rev. 2021;26(1):165–171. doi: 10.1007/s10741-020-10013-5
  10. Arnold SV, Silverman DN, Gosch K, et al. Beta-blocker use and heart failure outcomes in mildly reduced and preserved ejection fraction. JACC Heart Fail. 2023;11(8 Pt 1):893–900. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2023.03.017
  11. Munkhaugen J, Ruddox V, Halvorsen S, et al. BEtablocker Treatment After acute Myocardial Infarction in revascularized patients without reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (BETAMI): rationale and design of a prospective, randomized, open, blinded end point study. Am Heart J. 2019;208:37–46. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2018.10.005
  12. Rossello X, Raposeiras-Roubin S, Latini R, et al. Rationale and design of the pragmatic clinical trial tREatment with Beta-blockers after myOcardial infarction withOut reduced ejection fracTion (REBOOT). Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Pharmacother. 2022;8(3):291–301. doi: 10.1093/ehjcvp/pvab060
  13. van Diepen S, Halvorsen S, Menon V. The REDUCE-AMI trial: an important step in cardiovascular drug de-prescription. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care. 2024;13(4):370–372. doi: 10.1093/ehjacc/zuae049
  14. Kristensen AD, Bovin A, Zwisler AD, et al. Design and rationale of the Danish trial of beta-blocker treatment after myocardial infarction without reduced ejection fraction: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2020;21(1):415. doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-4214-6
  15. Silvain J, Cayla G, Ferrari E, et al. Βeta blocker interruption after uncomplicated myocardial infarction: rationale and design of the randomized ABYSS trial. Am Heart J. 2023;258:168–176. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2023.01.014
  16. Joo SJ, Kim SY, Choi JH, et al. Effect of beta-blocker therapy in patients with or without left ventricular systolic dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Pharmacother. 2021;7(6):475–482. doi: 10.1093/ehjcvp/pvaa029
  17. Dondo TB, Hall M, West RM, et al. β-Blockers and mortality after acute myocardial infarction in patients without heart failure or ventricular dysfunction. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;69(22):2710–2720. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.03.578
  18. Wahlberg K, Arnold ME, Lustgarten D, et al. Effects of a higher heart rate on quality of life and functional capacity in patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Am J Cardiol. 2019;124(7):1069–1075. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2019.07.008
  19. Russian Society of Cardiology. 2020 Clinical practice guidelines for chronic heart failure. Russian Journal of Cardiology. 2020;25(11):311–374. doi: 10.15829/1560-4071-2020-4083 EDN: LJGGQV
  20. Horiuchi Y, Tanimoto S, Aoki J, et al. Effects of β-blockers on left ventricular remodeling in patients with preserved ejection fraction after acute myocardial infarction. Int J Cardiol. 2016;221:765–769. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2016.07.123
  21. Conraads VM, Metra M, Kamp O, et al. Effects of the long-term administration of nebivolol on the clinical symptoms, exercise capacity, and left ventricular function of patients with diastolic dysfunction: results of the ELANDD study. Eur J Heart Fail. 2012;14(2):219–225. doi: 10.1093/eurjhf/hfr161
  22. Zakiev VD, Vorobyeva NM, Malaya IP, et al. Beta-blockers in chronic heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction: is deprescribing possible? Rational pharmacotherapy in cardiology. 2023;19(6):607–613. doi: 10.20996/1819-6446-2023-2987 EDN: JMTTBF
  23. Palau P, Seller J, Domínguez E, et al. Effect of β-blocker withdrawal on functional capacity in heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021;78(21):2042–2056. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.08.073 Erratum in: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(8):848. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2022.01.012
  24. Seo M, Watanabe T, Yamada T, et al. The clinical relevance of quality of life in patients with acute decompensated heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: insights from the PURSUIT-HFpEF Registry. Eur Heart J. 2022;43(2):1059. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.1059
  25. Silverman DN, Plante TB, Infeld M, et al. Association of β-blocker use with heart failure hospitalizations and cardiovascular disease mortality among patients with heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction: a secondary analysis of the TOPCAT trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(12):e1916598. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.16598
  26. Frenneaux MP. Autonomic changes in patients with heart failure and in post-myocardial infarction patients. Heart. 2004;90(11):1248–1255. doi: 10.1136/hrt.2003.026146
  27. Saleem S, Khandoker AH, Alkhodari M, et al. Investigating the effects of beta-blockers on circadian heart rhythm using heart rate variability in ischemic heart disease with preserved ejection fraction. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):5828. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-32963-0
  28. Yndigegn T, Lindahl B, Mars K, et al. Beta-blockers after myocardial infarction and preserved ejection fraction. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(15):1372–1381 doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2401479

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
2. Fig. 1. Dynamics of echocardiography parameters in the comparison groups: * p <0.05, ** p <0.001 (statistically significant differences between the initial and subsequent values); # p <0.05 (statistically significant intergroup differences). LVEF ― left ventricular ejection fraction; IVRT ― left ventricular isovolumetric relaxation time; iSVO ― end-systolic volume index; iEDV ― end-diastolic volume index; ESD ― end-systolic dimension; GLS ― global longitudinal strain.

Download (302KB)
3. Fig. 2. Evaluation of the clinical condition and symptoms of chronic heart failure in the comparison groups: a — patients receiving β-blockers (β-blocker group); b — patients who did not receive β-blockers (no β-blocker group). c — Visual analogue scale; d — Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory; * intragroup differences: p <0.05.

Download (275KB)
4. Fig. 3. Dynamics of chronotropic load parameters in comparison groups. * Statistically significant differences between initial and subsequent values (p <0.05). Ta ― percentage of time during which the heart rate is above the threshold; Sa ― normalized area index limited by the threshold level and the heart rate trend.

Download (479KB)

Copyright (c) 2025 Eco-Vector


 


Согласие на обработку персональных данных с помощью сервиса «Яндекс.Метрика»

1. Я (далее – «Пользователь» или «Субъект персональных данных»), осуществляя использование сайта https://journals.rcsi.science/ (далее – «Сайт»), подтверждая свою полную дееспособность даю согласие на обработку персональных данных с использованием средств автоматизации Оператору - федеральному государственному бюджетному учреждению «Российский центр научной информации» (РЦНИ), далее – «Оператор», расположенному по адресу: 119991, г. Москва, Ленинский просп., д.32А, со следующими условиями.

2. Категории обрабатываемых данных: файлы «cookies» (куки-файлы). Файлы «cookie» – это небольшой текстовый файл, который веб-сервер может хранить в браузере Пользователя. Данные файлы веб-сервер загружает на устройство Пользователя при посещении им Сайта. При каждом следующем посещении Пользователем Сайта «cookie» файлы отправляются на Сайт Оператора. Данные файлы позволяют Сайту распознавать устройство Пользователя. Содержимое такого файла может как относиться, так и не относиться к персональным данным, в зависимости от того, содержит ли такой файл персональные данные или содержит обезличенные технические данные.

3. Цель обработки персональных данных: анализ пользовательской активности с помощью сервиса «Яндекс.Метрика».

4. Категории субъектов персональных данных: все Пользователи Сайта, которые дали согласие на обработку файлов «cookie».

5. Способы обработки: сбор, запись, систематизация, накопление, хранение, уточнение (обновление, изменение), извлечение, использование, передача (доступ, предоставление), блокирование, удаление, уничтожение персональных данных.

6. Срок обработки и хранения: до получения от Субъекта персональных данных требования о прекращении обработки/отзыва согласия.

7. Способ отзыва: заявление об отзыве в письменном виде путём его направления на адрес электронной почты Оператора: info@rcsi.science или путем письменного обращения по юридическому адресу: 119991, г. Москва, Ленинский просп., д.32А

8. Субъект персональных данных вправе запретить своему оборудованию прием этих данных или ограничить прием этих данных. При отказе от получения таких данных или при ограничении приема данных некоторые функции Сайта могут работать некорректно. Субъект персональных данных обязуется сам настроить свое оборудование таким способом, чтобы оно обеспечивало адекватный его желаниям режим работы и уровень защиты данных файлов «cookie», Оператор не предоставляет технологических и правовых консультаций на темы подобного характера.

9. Порядок уничтожения персональных данных при достижении цели их обработки или при наступлении иных законных оснований определяется Оператором в соответствии с законодательством Российской Федерации.

10. Я согласен/согласна квалифицировать в качестве своей простой электронной подписи под настоящим Согласием и под Политикой обработки персональных данных выполнение мною следующего действия на сайте: https://journals.rcsi.science/ нажатие мною на интерфейсе с текстом: «Сайт использует сервис «Яндекс.Метрика» (который использует файлы «cookie») на элемент с текстом «Принять и продолжить».