title: Endothelium-dependent effects of beta-adrenergic blockers.
abstract: Nonselective beta-adrenergic blockers have been reported to affect endothelium-dependent responses in isolated blood vessels in the following ways: (a) cause endothelium-augmented direct relaxations; (b) facilitate the endothelium-dependent relaxations evoked by alpha 2-adrenergic activation, or by acetylcholine; (c) augment the intraluminal release of vasodilator prostanoids, and (d) inhibit endothelium-dependent contractions to anoxia. Important species differences exist in terms of the endothelium-dependent effects of the compounds. If they were to occur in the intact organism, the endothelium-dependent effects of the beta-adrenergic blockers could help to explain their vasodilator properties.
authors.affiliation: Center for Experimental Therapeutics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vanhoutte
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D009569:Nitric Oxide