The effect of beta-blocker dosing strategy on regulation of perioperative heart rate and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing vascular surgery: a randomized comparison.

The optimal dosing strategy for perioperative beta-blockers to safely achieve recommended target heart rates (HRs) by current guidelines is not well defined. An HR-titrated perioperative beta-blocker dosing regimen versus a fixed-dose regimen was assessed by clinical outcomes, postoperative heart rate, and beta-blocker-related complications. Patients (n = 64) scheduled to undergo moderate- to high-risk vascular surgery and without contraindications to beta-blockade were randomized to either a fixed-dose or HR-titrated beta-blocker dosing schedule.