ABSTRACT
The clinical benefits of -blocker therapy in patients with chronic heart failure initially suggested over 25 years ago in a number of small studies have recently been definitively demonstrated in several large, prospective, randomized, placebo-control trials, including a total of over 16 000 patients. This knowledge has emerged over a number of years and involves interesting experience of how evidence-based medicine can develop. This chapter will review these developments and discuss which patients are suitable for this treatment as well as practical issues for initiation of -blockers.
