Effect of antihypertensive drugs on insulin absorption.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of antihypertensive drugs on the absorption of subcutaneously injected insulin.


METHODS
Eleven healthy volunteers (group 1) were given 1 mg/kg body wt propranolol three times a day during 48 h and a single dose on the morning of investigation. Seven other healthy volunteers (group 2) were given 10 mg nifedipine 30 min before subcutaneous injection of 10 U 125I-labeled soluble insulin. Absorption was measured by counting radioactivity externally. In both groups, control experiments were conducted under the same conditions without administration of propranolol or nifedipine.


RESULTS
Propranolol usage was associated with higher mean percentages of remaining activity (P less than 0.05 by analysis of variance [ANOVA]) than in the control experiment. In the nifedipine experiment, mean percentages were significantly lower compared with the control experiment (P less than 0.02 by ANOVA). The mean decline in activity of all 30-min periods was 6.8 +/- 3.5 vs. 3.6 +/- 3.7% for control versus propranolol (group 1) (P less than 0.05) and 6.3 +/- 1.8 vs. 9.6 +/- 3.2% for control versus nifedipine (group 2) (NS).


CONCLUSIONS
Antihypertensive drugs can influence insulin absorption. Propranolol (a peripheral vasoconstrictor) decreases insulin absorption, whereas nifedipine (a vasodilatator) increases insulin absorption.
Veenstra
J
J
Department of Internal Medicine, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
van der Hulst
J P
JP
Wildenborg
I H
IH
Njoo
S F
SF
Verdegaal
W P
WP
Silberbusch
J
J
D000042:Absorption; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors
D007328:Insulin; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011433:Propranolol; D009543:Nifedipine