Millions of people worldwide take beta blockers to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems, especially after a heart attack.

But two new studies suggest that for many patients, these drugs may no longer be helpful – and in some cases, they could even be harmful.

Beta blockers work to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the oxygen demands of the heart. Traditionally, they've been prescribed after a heart attack (myocardial infarction) to give the heart time to heal and reduce the risk of a second attack.

Here's the catch: since beta blockers were introduced more than four decades ago, modern medical care approaches (including stents and statins ) have dramatically improved recovery after a heart attack.

Today, many hearts rebound better than they once did. For wome

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