Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Cardiology, AMRI Hospital (S), West Bengal, Kolkata, India
  • 2 Department of Cardiology, PRS Hospital, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
  • 3 Department of Cardiology, Member Board of Management at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India
  • 4 Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Padjajaran University, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
  • 5 IJN (National Heart Institute), Johor, Malaysia
  • 6 Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, UP-Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Philippines
  • 7 Internal Medicine - Cardiology, St. Luke's Medical Center, Taguig, Philippines
  • 8 Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai, Bangtok, Thailand
  • 9 Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
  • 10 National Heart Institute, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • 11 Merck Specialities Pvt. Ltd., India, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Curr Med Res Opin, 2023 Dec;39(12):1671-1683.
PMID: 37694536 DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2023.2256218

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This Delphi method of consensus was designed to develop scientific statements for β-blockers in the continuum of cardiovascular diseases with a special focus on the role of bisoprolol.

METHODS: Eleven experienced cardiologists from across the Asia-Pacific countries participated in two rounds of the survey. In the first round, experts were asked to rate agreement/disagreement with 35 statements across seven domains regarding the use of β-blockers for treating hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery diseases, co-morbidities, as well as their safety profile, usage pattern, and pharmacokinetic variability. A consensus for a statement could be reached with >70% agreement.

RESULTS: Except for seven statements, all attained consensus in the first round. In the second round that was conducted virtually, the experts re-appraised their ratings for the seven statements along with a critical appraisal of two additional statements that were suggested by experts in the preceding round. At the end of the second round, the final version included 36 statements (34 original statements, two statements suggested by experts, and the omission of one statement that did not attain consensus). The final version of statements in the second round was disseminated among experts for their approval followed by manuscript development.

CONCLUSION: Attainment of consensus for almost all statements reconfirms the clinical benefits of β-blockers, particularly β1-selective blockers for the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.