In clinical trials, β-blocker therapy reduces all-cause mortality among people with congestive heart failure (CHF) characterized by depressed systolic function, but few trials included large numbers of elderly participants. This study assessed the association between β-blocker therapy and mortality among community-dwelling older adults with CHF.

The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) is a longitudinal, population-based study of adults aged ≥65 years. Recruitment began in 1989 with follow-up extending through June 2000 or death. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the association between β-blocker therapy and all-cause mortality among 950 participants who developed new-onset CHF.

β-Blocker users (n = 157) were more likely than nonusers (n = 793) to have treated hypertension, clinical coronary artery disease, and valvular disease at the time of CHF diagnosis. Death occurred in 67 users and 446 nonusers during a median follow-up of 2.3 years. Compared with nonuse, use of β-blockers was associated with a multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 0.74 (95% CI 0.56-0.98) for all-cause mortality. Among the 520 participants who had left ventricular ejection fraction assessed within 90 days after CHF diagnosis, the risk for all cause mortality associated with β-blocker use did not differ significantly between those with ejection fraction of <40% and those with ejection fraction of ≥40% (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.27-1.13; HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.56-1.22, respectively; interaction P = .34).

This observational study suggests that β-blocker treatment is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality among community-dwelling older adults with CHF.