Association of beta blocker use and lower mortality in high-risk patients after MI

The Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) randomized 1735 postmyocardial infarction (MI) patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40 percent and ventricular arrhythmia to an antiarrhythmic drug (encainide, flecainide, or moricizine) or placebo. Patients who were receiving concomitant beta blocker therapy had a lower incidence of all-cause mortality, arrhythmic death, or cardiac arrest compared to those not receiving beta blockers.