Ajam T, et al. - In patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), researchers used the Veteran Affairs databases to compare the impact of beta blocker dose and heart rate on mortality. They obtained information on all patients diagnosed with HFrEF from 2007-2015 and beta blocker (carvedilol or metoprolol succinate) use. They used a propensity score matching to match 36,168 patients on low dose beta blocker with 36,168 patients on high dose beta blocker. Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the influence of beta blocker dose and heart rate on overall mortality. Findings demonstrated high beta blocker dose was associated with lower overall mortality vs a low dose of beta blocker, independent of the heart rate achieved. The independent association of both higher dose of beta blocker therapy and a lower achieved heart rate, with a reduction in mortality in HFrEF patients was supported.