European heart journal
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European heart journal · Oct 1987
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe Lopressor Intervention Trial: multicentre study of metoprolol in survivors of acute myocardial infarction. Lopressor Intervention Trial Research Group.
The Lopressor Intervention Trial (LIT) was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicentre study designed to evaluate the effect of oral metoprolol on overall mortality in patients surviving a recent acute myocardial infarction. Patient enrollment began in August 1979 and ended on 15 April 1982, with 2395 patients (1200 on placebo and 1195 on metoprolol). Hospitalized patients, 45 to 74 years of age, began therapy from 6 to 16 days after their myocardial infarction. ⋯ After 1 year there were 62 deaths in the placebo group and 65 in the metoprolol group. Thus, the 1 year placebo mortality rate of 5.2% was half that predicted at the outset. In addition, study medication was prematurely discontinued in over 30% of patients in the metoprolol group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)