Is Exercise Training Beneficial for Heart Failure Patients Taking β-Adrenergic Blockers? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

The authors sought to conduct a systematic review comparing the effects of exercise training in heart failure patients taking β-blockers vs those not. A systematic search of exercise training trials in chronic heart failure patients that compared groups who took β-blocker medication or compared selective and nonselective β-blockers during exercise training was conducted. Eight prospective studies met the criteria for the quantitative synthesis, which included data from 236 participants. The increment in peak oxygen consumption (VO2) was greater in exercising vs control participants, with a mean difference (MD) of 1.27mL/kg/min (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-1.70; P