Beta-blocker bashing and downgrading in hypertension management : A fashionable trend representing a matter of concern

• In their commentary, Shantsila et al.[1] while discussing some relevant issues of the 2023 Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) [2], for example, the length of the text and the involvement of only a few primary care physicians, they largely focus on the discussion on beta-blockers. The authors conclude that ‘the 2023 ESH Guidelines still argue in favour of beta-blockers that their clinical inferiority was simply to lesser blood pressure (BP) reduction rather than class effect’. However, this is an oversimplification that does not reflect the numerous arguments and facts that support the overall rationale of the 2023 ESH Guidelines for the recommended use of beta-blockers in the management of hypertension [2]. Taken together with other similar comments [3], it appears that it has become fashionable to down-grade beta-blockers and to dismiss the points already put forward in the 2023 ESH guidelines [2] and in previous publications revisiting beta-blocker benefits in detail [4,5]. Against this background, we use this opportunity to emphasize on key aspects of the beta-blocker discussion in brief. For a more comprehensive review of the literature, we refer to a very recent publication by us regarding the role of beta-blocker in hypertension [6].

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

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