Perioperative β-blocker withdrawal and mortality in vascular surgical patients

Objective Our purpose was to determine the effect of postoperative β-blocker withdrawal on mortality and cardiovascular events after vascular surgery. Methods Detailed data were collected on perioperative cardiovascular medication use and discontinuation and cardiovascular risk factors among consecutive major vascular surgical procedures at two university hospitals. Results A total of 140 patients received β-blockers preoperatively. Mortality in the 8 patients who had β-blockers discontinued postoperatively (50%) was significantly greater than in 132 patients who had β-blockers continued (1.5%, odds ratio 65.0, P < .001). The effect of β-blocker discontinuation was unaffected by adjustment by stratification for risk factors (all P ≤ .01), for contraindications to restarting β-blockers (P = .006), and by multivariable analyses adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio 17.0, P = .01). β-Blocker discontinuation also was associated with increased cardiovascular mortality (0% vs 29%, P = .005) and postoperative myocardial infarction (odds ratio 17.7, P = .003). Conclusion Discontinuing β-blockers immediately after vascular surgery may increase the risk of postoperative cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. (Am Heart J 2001;141:148-53.)