Methods:

This was a prospective study conducted at a single Chinese center; 5,926 consecutive patients who underwent CABG and were discharged alive were included in the analysis. The authors assessed the use of beta-blocker and clinical outcomes in two separate cohorts: those with prior myocardial infarction (MI) within or beyond the 21 days preceding CABG, and those without any history of MI. Data regarding discharge medication were collected by reviewing the hospital discharge summaries (this was considered to be the first expected record of beta-blocker administration). Adherence for a period of 1 year after CABG was determined. Each cohort was categorized into three comparison groups on the basis of patients’ patterns of beta-blocker use: 1) Always users (patients discharged with beta-blockers and reporting use at each interval), 2) Never users (patients discharged without beta-blockers and never reporting use during the interval), and 3) Inconsistent users who did not meet criteria for always or never users. Clinical outcomes were assessed after the 1-year observational interval; the primary outcome was all-cause death.