Beta Blockers Safe for COPD Surgery

There has been much controversy over whether or not giving beta blockers to patients before surgery for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is safe. Results have been conflicting and doctors have been uncertain as to whether beta blockers could be harmful to patients, but a new study is challenging the idea that beta blockers can aggravate bronchospasm; it may actually increase chances of survival.

The study was led by Dr. Don Poldermans of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and lasted ten years. The study involved over 3,000 patients having vascular surgery for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine published Dr. Polderman's study in October 2008.

The final verdict of the study was that beta blockers are not only safe to give patients before vascular surgery for COPD, but they significantly increase patient's chances of survival. Nearly 8 percent of those who did not receive beta blockers died within one month, as opposed to only 4 percent who did receive the beta blockers. That is twice as many deaths. In addition, 67 percent of those not receiving beta blockers died during the follow-up period, as opposed to only 40 percent who received the beta blockers.

The researchers have decided that beta blockers are very well received by COPD patients and that they may even reduce late cardiac events, which are a key cause of death in COPD patients. They believe that beta blockers can actually reduce mortality for those needing surgery for COPD.

Researchers also found that the higher the dose, the better the outcome. They gave a high dose to some patients – nearly 25 percent more than the recommended dose – and low doses to other patients – less than 25 percent of the recommended dose. During this period they linked the high dosage to reduced mortality, but not the low dosage. It is worth mentioning that both the high and low dosages were tied to mortality reductions in the long term.

Does this mean that all COPD patients receiving vascular surgery will be prescribed beta blockers? Not exactly. Some doctors are still skeptical. More research will need to be done before this is a non-controversial, safe practice.






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