Use of β-blockers in patients with chronic heart failure in Dingzhou

Objective To investigation the use of β-blockers in patients with chronic heart failure in Dingzhou,Hebei ProvinceMethods Medical records of patients with chronic heart failure from 3 hospitals of Dingzhou were retrospectively analyzedResults The usage rate of β-blockers in patients with chronic heart failure in 3 hospitals of Dingzhou was 18.78%,27.34%,43.90% and 53.81%,respectively in 2006-2009 with a total usage rate 37.98%,showing a yearly-increasing tendency.Physicians in diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic heart failure found that the use of non-prescriptive oral β-blockers was declined year by year.The long-term use rate of β-blockers was significantly lower and the withdrawal rate of β-blockers was significantly higher in patients with cardiac function Ⅳ than in those with cardiac function Ⅱand Ⅲ（P＜0.05）Conclusion The number patients with chronic heart failure in Dingzhou who use β-blockers is relatively low although the use of β-blockers tends to increase.