Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trials were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
Beta-blockers. The beta1-selective drugs were metoprolol, bisoprolol and nebivolol; the non-selective drugs were carvedilol and bucindolol. Xamoterol was excluded as this compound has considerable agonist activity.
Participants included in the review
Patients with chronic heart failure were included. Patients with a recent myocardial infarction were excluded.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The outcomes assessed were:
all-cause mortality;
morbidity, defined as hospitalisation for worsening heart failure;
the combined risk of all-cause mortality and hospitalisation for worsening heart failure (combined morbidity and mortality);
changes in functional status, as assessed by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification; and
changes in the left ventricular ejection fraction.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors do not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection.