Atenolol  was the beta‐blocker most used .
Current evidence suggests that initiating treatment of hypertension with beta‐blockers leads to modest CVD reductions and little or no effects on mortality .
These beta‐blocker effects are inferior to those of other antihypertensive drugs .
Abstract Background Beta‐blockers refer to a mixed group of drugs with diverse pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties .
They have shown long‐term beneficial effects on mortality and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) when used in people with heart failure or acute myocardial infa rct ion .
Beta‐blockers were thought to have similar beneficial effects when used as first‐line therapy for hypertension .
However , the benefit of beta‐blockers as first‐line therapy for hypertension without compelling indications is controversial .
This review is an up date of a Cochrane Review initially published in 2007 and up date d in 2012 .
Objectives To assess the effects of beta‐blockers on morbidity and mortality endpoints in adults with hypertension .
Comparison of measured GFR, serum creatinine, cystatin C, and beta-trace protein to predict ESRD in African Americans with hypertensive CKD.
BACKGROUND Identification of persons with chronic kidney disease ( CKD ) who are at highest risk to progress to end-stage renal disease ( ESRD ) is necessary to reduce the burden of kidney failure . The relative utility of traditional markers of kidney function , including estimated glomerular filtration rate ( eGFR ) and serum creatinine level , and emerging markers of kidney function , including cystatin C and beta-trace protein ( BTP ) levels , to predict ESRD and mortality has yet to be established . STUDY DESIGN R and omized clinical trial followed by an observational cohort study . SETTING & PARTICIPANTS 865 African American individuals with hypertensive CKD enrolled in a clinical trial of 2 levels of blood pressure control and 3 different antihypertensive drugs as initial therapy and subsequently followed by an observational cohort study . PREDICTORS Quintile of measured GFR ( mGFR ) by iothalamate clearance , serum creatinine , serum creatinine-based eGFR , cystatin C , and BTP values . OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS Incidence of ESRD and mortality . RESULTS 246 participants reached ESRD during a median follow-up of 102 months . The incidence rate of ESRD was higher with higher quintiles of each marker . The association between higher BTP level and ESRD was stronger than those for the other markers , including mGFR . All markers remained significantly associated with ESRD after adjustment for mGFR and relevant covariates ( all P < 0.05 ) , with BTP level retaining the strongest association ( HR for highest vs lowest quintile , 5.7 ; 95 % CI , 2.2 - 14.9 ) . Associations with the combined end point of ESRD or mortality ( n = 390 ) were weaker , but remained significant for cystatin C ( P = 0.05 ) and BTP levels ( P = 0.004 ) . LIMITATIONS The ability of these markers to predict ESRD and mortality in other racial and ethnic groups and in individuals with CKD due to other causes is unknown . CONCLUSIONS Plasma BTP and cystatin C levels may be useful adjuncts to serum creatinine level and mGFR in evaluating risk of progression of kidney disease
Atenolol  was the beta‐blocker most used .
Current evidence suggests that initiating treatment of hypertension with beta‐blockers leads to modest CVD reductions and little or no effects on mortality .
These beta‐blocker effects are inferior to those of other antihypertensive drugs .
Abstract Background Beta‐blockers refer to a mixed group of drugs with diverse pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties .
They have shown long‐term beneficial effects on mortality and cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) when used in people with heart failure or acute myocardial infa rct ion .
Beta‐blockers were thought to have similar beneficial effects when used as first‐line therapy for hypertension .
However , the benefit of beta‐blockers as first‐line therapy for hypertension without compelling indications is controversial .
This review is an up date of a Cochrane Review initially published in 2007 and up date d in 2012 .
Objectives To assess the effects of beta‐blockers on morbidity and mortality endpoints in adults with hypertension .