Beta-Blocker in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Study
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2007-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Smoking causes both smoking related lung disease (COPD) and ischaemic heart disease. These
are very common conditions and many patients have both diseases. Beta-blocker drugs are
extensively used in the treatment of angina, high blood pressure and after heart attacks to
decrease symptoms and prolong life. Beta-agonists are used in COPD to decrease breathlessness
and improve exercise tolerance. It used to be thought that beta-blockers cannot be used in
COPD patients as they may make the breathlessness worse, but it has now been established that
they can be used safely. Beta-blocker drugs and beta-agonists have 'opposite' effects on the
body and the investigators do not know if they can work together or if they would cancel each
other out. The investigators also do not know which of the different types of beta-blockers
now available are better for COPD patients. This study will investigate what happens to the
airways of people taking both of these drugs.