Efficacy, safety and tolerability of metoprolol CR/XL in patients with diabetes and chronic heart failure: experiences from MERIT-HF

• BACKGROUND: The objective of the current study was to examine the efficacy and tolerability of the beta-blocker metoprolol succinate controlled release/extended release (CR/XL) in patients with diabetes in the Metoprolol CR/XL Randomized Intervention Trial in Chronic Heart Failure (MERIT-HF). METHODS: The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for convenience expressed as relative risks (risk reduction = 1-HR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The risk of hospitalization for heart failure was 76% higher in diabetics compared to non-diabetics (95% CI 38% to 123%). Metoprolol CR/XL was well tolerated and reduced the risk of hospitalization for heart failure by 37% in the diabetic group (95% CI 53% to 15%), and by 35% in the non-diabetic group (95% CI 48% to 19%). Pooling of mortality data from the Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study II (CIBIS II), MERIT-HF, and the Carvedilol Prospective Randomized Cumulative Survival Study (COPERNICUS) showed similar survival benefits in patients with diabetes (25%; 95% CI 40% to 4%) and without diabetes (36%; 95% CI 44% to 27%); test of diabetes by treatment interaction was non-significant. Adverse events were reported more often on placebo than on metoprolol CR/XL. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with heart failure and diabetes have a much higher risk of hospitalization than patients without diabetes. Regardless of diabetic status, a highly significant reduction in hospitalizations for heart failure was observed with metoprolol CR/XL therapy, which was very well tolerated also by patients with diabetes. Furthermore, the pooled data showed a statistically significant survival benefit in patients with diabetes.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Endokrinologi och diabetes (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Endocrinology and Diabetes (hsv//eng)

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

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

Keyword

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/adverse effects/*therapeutic use

Adult

Aged

Delayed-Action Preparations

Diabetes Complications/*drug therapy/mortality

Diabetes Mellitus/mortality

Double-Blind Method

Female

Heart Failure

Congestive/complications/*drug therapy

Hospitalization

Humans

Male

Metoprolol/adverse effects/*analogs & derivatives/*therapeutic use

Middle Aged

Proportional Hazards Models

Risk

Survival Analysis

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)