title: Effects of acute and chronic beta-adrenoceptor blockade on baroreflex sensitivity in humans.
abstract: To determine whether beta-adrenoceptor blockade lowers blood pressure by potentiating arterial baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), we compared the effect of acute i.v. and chronic oral beta-blockade on the BRS (phenylephrine technique) of 51 subjects with essential hypertension. Subjects were randomly assigned in a double-blind protocol to one of atenolol, metoprolol, pindolol or propranolol. There was an increase in BRS, unrelated to changes in heart rate, after both acute and chronic beta-blockade. This effect was most evident in younger and less hypertensive subjects. Decreases in blood pressure after 5-months' treatment were unrelated to increases in BRS, indicating that the hypotensive action of these drugs is not dependent upon augmented baroreflex control of heart rate. Only propranolol, of the 4 beta-blockers, increased BRS significantly after acute and chronic treatment. The acute effect of propranolol was significantly different from that of i.v. metoprolol (P less than 0.008) but the effect of long-term treatment with propanolol was not significantly different from that of the other 3 beta-blockers. We conclude that the impaired reflex regulation of heart rate can be improved in younger and mild-to-moderate hypertensive patients by beta-adrenoceptor blockade. Further studies, involving larger numbers and perhaps fewer drugs are needed to determine the relative importance of lipophilicity and beta 1- or beta 2-receptor selectivity in mediating the increase in baroreflex sensitivity seen with treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, U.K.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Floras
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sleight
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001262:Atenolol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010869:Pindolol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000187:drug effects*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D001262:Atenolol; D011433:Propranolol; D010869:Pindolol; D008790:Metoprolol