A 60-year-old man had an anterior myocardial infarction 3 months ago. He currently is asymptomatic and has normal vital signs and a normal physical examination. His echocardiogram shows a mildly depressed ejection fraction of 40%. He is on an antiplatelet agent and an ACE inhibitor. What other category of medication would typically be prescribed for secondary prevention of myocardial infarction?
A. Alpha-blockerBeta-blockers are documented to lower the risk of myocardial reinfarction, whereas some calcium channel blockers may increase the risk. Alpha-blockers have been associated with an increased risk of congestive heart failure. ACE inhibitors are beneficial in this setting and should be continued. Despite their decades-long use for the symptomatic treatment of angina, nitrates are not indicated for secondary prevention of infarction. Recently, long-term use of some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including naproxen sodium) has been associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction.