Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42312775›Full record

ArticleJACC. Advances2026

Beta-Blocker Discontinuation After Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Wade Thompson, Nima Alaeiilkhchi, Lisa M McCarthy, Raha Eskandari, Yanrong Maggie Yang, Arden R Barry, William McDonald, Jeffrey Pan, Douglas M Salzwedel, Parag Goyal

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JACC. Advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Wade ThompsonDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address: Wade.thompson@ubc.ca.
Nima AlaeiilkhchiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Lisa M McCarthyLeslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, Canada; Women's College Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Raha EskandariDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Yanrong Maggie YangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Arden R BarryFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
William McDonaldProgram for the Care and Study of the Aging Heart, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.
Jeffrey PanDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Douglas M SalzwedelDepartment of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Parag GoyalProgram for the Care and Study of the Aging Heart, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBeta-blockers after myocardial infarction (MI) are being questioned, specifically among persons with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). This raises consideration for beta-blocker discontinuation.

objectivesThe objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effects of discontinuation vs continuation of beta-blockers after MI.

methodsWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, Epistemonikos from inception to September 11, 2025. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials and nonrandomized studies among adults ≥18 years. Outcomes included mortality and major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events (MACE), as well as its components. We performed meta-analyses using an inverse-variance random-effects model and evaluated certainty of evidence using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation.

resultsWe screened 4,103 titles/abstracts, and 10 studies were eligible (1 randomized controlled trial, 9 observational studies; N = 121,114). Eight studies involved patients with LVEF >40% and/or without heart failure. Compared with beta-blocker continuation, discontinuation might not be associated with increased risk of mortality (HR: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.96-1.28; 8 studies; low certainty evidence). Discontinuation might be associated with increased risk of MACE compared with continuation (HR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.01-1.24; 7 studies; low certainty; driven by increased risk of CV hospitalizations) but might not be associated with an increased risk of MI (HR: 1.39; 95% CI: 0.95-2.04; 5 studies; low certainty).

conclusionsAmong post-MI patients with LVEF >40% and without heart failure, beta-blocker discontinuation might not increase risk of mortality or MI, though there may be an increased risk of MACE primarily due to CV hospitalizations.

Indexed as

beta-blockersdeprescribingmyocardial infarction

Identifiers

PMID42312775
PMCPMC13308238

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.