National use and effectiveness of beta-blockers for the treatment of elderly patients after acute myocardial infarction.

Describes the contemporary national pattern of beta-blocker prescription at hospital discharge among patients aged 65 years or older with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Attempt to identify the most important predictors of the prescribed use of beta-blockers and to determine the independent association between beta-blockers at discharge and mortality in clinical practice; Design; Setting; Patients; Main outcome measures; Results; Conclusions.