Considering disease stage and indications for treatment allows for more personalized recommendations for use of beta-blockers for bleeding prevention in patients with cirrhosis, according to a recent literature review.
The therapeutic window for use of nonselective beta-blockers (NSBBs) traditionally was though to open when patients had high-risk varices, regardless of whether they had diuretic-responsive ascites, (Child-Pugh class B/C) and close when decompensated cirrhosis progressed to refractory ascites, the authors noted (J Hepatol 2023;78[4]:866-872).