Researchers found that among the participants taking beta blockers:
Women had a 4.6% higher rate of heart failure than men when presenting to the hospital with acute coronary syndrome;
The mortality of both men and women with heart failure was approximately seven times that of patients with acute myocardial infarction and no heart failure complications;
Women who had ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) were 6.1% more likely to have heart failure than men with STEMI, a serious form of heart attack in which a coronary artery is completely blocked and a large part of the heart muscle is unable to receive blood;
Men and women not taking beta blockers had approximately the same rate of heart failure.
“What we found presents a solid case for re-examination of the use of beta blocker therapy for women with hypertension. For women who have no history of cardiovascular disease and only hypertension, we think it is incredibly important for them to regulate their blood pressure through diet and exercise,” Bugiardini noted.
“It’s possible that the increased risk of heart failure for women is due to an interaction between hormone replacement therapy and beta blockers, though this information was not collected or tested in our study.”
Researchers noted some limitations. Since the study was observational, results may have some variance and additional data is needed for confirmation. However, a randomized controlled trial of beta-blocker therapy in patients with hypertension may not be considered ethical since it would be designed to confirm risk and not benefit.