Preoperative β-blocker use: is titration to a heart rate of 60 beats per minute a consistently attainable goal?

Only half of the patients who qualify to receive preoperative β-blockers by current recommendations actually receive them before noncardiac surgery, and the majority of these patients have preadmission and preinduction HR less than 60 bpm. Targeting β-blocker therapy treatment to an HR less than 60 bpm may not be readily achievable in many patients.