Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine
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Comparative Study
In heart failure, all beta-blockers are not necessarily equal.
The Carvedilol or Metoprolol European Trial (COMET; Lancet 2003; 362:7-13) found that in patients with heart failure, survival appears to be better with carvedilol than with immediate-release metoprolol tartrate. Whether the target doses used were equivalent (carvedilol 25 mg twice daily vs metoprolol tartrate 50 mg twice daily) has been debated, but the COMET trial shows that drugs in the same class do not necessarily have the same effects. Given the overwhelming evidence of the benefit of carvedilol, metoprolol succinate, and bisoprolol in patients with heart failure, we should all strive to increase the use of these drugs in appropriate doses.
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Any patient age 50 or older with distorted vision or vision loss may have age-related macular degeneration and should be immediately referred to an ophthalmologist. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to preserve the current level of vision. We outline risk factors, clinical signs, what happens to the retina, and what treatments are currently available, as well as recommendations about vitamin and mineral supplementation.