{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T06:15:46Z","timestamp":1778134546402,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":27,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778112000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Beta-blockers are a cornerstone of guideline directed medical therapy for cardiovascular diseases; however, their underutilization remains a global concern. Healthcare professionals\u2019 knowledge, attitudes, and practices play a critical role in optimizing beta-blocker prescribing and monitoring. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physicians and nurses regarding beta-blocker use in cardiovascular patients in Saudi Arabia.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A national cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians and nurses working in government hospitals across Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire assessing demographics, knowledge, attitudes and practices related to beta-blocker use and monitoring. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A total of 553 healthcare professionals participated, including 249 physicians (45.0%) and 304 nurses (55.0%). The median knowledge score was 6.0 (IQR: 5.0\u20138.0). Nurses demonstrated higher knowledge in titration principles (79.3% vs. 59.8%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001) and recognition of rebound effects (74.3% vs. 65.5%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.014). In contrast, physicians showed greater knowledge in appropriate beta-blocker selection (52.2% vs. 40.8%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.008) and were more likely to correctly identify that beta-blockers are not contraindicated in all patients with diabetes (42.6% vs. 31.9%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.017). Fear of adverse effects, particularly bradycardia and hypotension, was more frequently reported among nurses (58.6% vs. 36.1%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt; 0.001). Participants with 1\u20135 years (\u03b2 = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.14\u20131.07,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.010) and 6\u201310 years (\u03b2 = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.03\u20131.35,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.040) had higher knowledge scores, while frequent patient management was associated with lower knowledge (\u03b2 = \u22120.85, 95% CI, \u22121.52 to \u22120.18,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.013). Attitude scores were lower among nurses (\u03b2 = \u22121.28, 95% CI, \u22122.08 to \u22120.48,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.002) and those managing patients less frequently (\u03b2 = \u22121.64, 95% CI, \u22122.99 to \u22120.28,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.018).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia demonstrated moderate knowledge regarding beta-blocker therapy, with distinct professional differences in knowledge domains and perceived barriers. Fear of adverse effects emerged as a key obstacle to optimal beta-blocker use, particularly among nurses. Targeted educational interventions, unified institutional protocols, and enhanced interprofessional collaboration are needed to improve adherence to guideline-directed beta-blocker therapy and optimize cardiovascular outcomes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1807201","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T05:42:05Z","timestamp":1778132525000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Optimizing beta-blocker therapy in cardiovascular care: a national cross-sectional assessment of physicians\u2019 and nurses\u2019 knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Saudi Arabia"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Firas A.","family":"Alghuthmi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University","place":["Makkah, Saudi 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F.","family":"Alharbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University","place":["Makkah, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Qusai H.","family":"Basranh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University","place":["Makkah, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ahmed A.","family":"Alsubhi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University","place":["Makkah, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ohood K.","family":"Almuzaini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University","place":["Makkah, Saudi Arabia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Saad M.","family":"Wali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department 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