Hemodynamic consequences of long-term beta-blocker therapy: a 5-year follow-up study of atenolol.
The long-term hemodynamic effects of atenolol were studied in 10 patients with previously untreated essential hypertension in WHO stage I. Oxygen consumption, heart rate, cardiac output, and intra-arterial brachial pressure were recorded at rest in supine and sitting positions and during steady-state work at 50, 100, and 150 W. The patients were treated with 100 mg atenolol daily (200 mg in 1 patient) as the sole antihypertensive drug and were restudied after 1 and 5 years. After 1 year the blood pressure was reduced approximately 18% both at rest and during exercise, and the heart rate about 25%. The cardiac output was reduced 16% at rest supine, 27% at rest sitting, and about 20% during exercise. The calculated total peripheral resistance was not decreased compared to pretreatment values. After 5 years on treatment, the hemodynamic parameters were almost identical to those seen after 1 year. There was no increase in stroke volume or cardiac output and no decrease in the total peripheral resistance. Thus prolonged beta-blocker treatment over several years does not seem to normalize hemodynamics in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.
D000328:Adult; D001262:Atenolol / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
D011412:Propanolamines; D001262:Atenolol