One Size Does Not Fit All: The Role of Vasodilating β-Blockers in Controlling Hypertension as a Means of Reducing Cardiovascular and Stroke Risk

Abstract

β-Blockers have played a key role in the management of hypertension-related cardiovascular disease for decades, and continue to be recommended as a mainstay of therapy in national guidelines statements. Recent data have shown less optimal reductions in total mortality, CVD mortality, and CVD events with β-blockers compared with renin-angiotensin system–blocking agents or calcium channel blockers. The β-blocker class, however, spans a wide range of agents, and the growing concern about the risk–benefit profile of β-blockers should not be generalized to later-generation vasodilating β-blockers such as carvedilol and nebivolol. A growing database from hypertension studies confirms the clinical efficacy and safety of vasodilating β-blockers, and outcome studies indicate that these agents can play an important role in global CVD reduction in patients with hypertensive or ischemic heart failure.