Glucose tolerance during chronic propranolol treatment.
Chronic diuretic therapy in hypertensive patients may be associated with a reversible deterioration in glucose tolerance. There is evidence to suggest that beta-blocker monotherapy may cause a deterioration in glucose tolerance in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus but little information about the effects of chronic beta-blocker treatment in hypertensive patients with normal glucose metabolism. A prospective evaluation of the effects of propranolol monotherapy on glucose tolerance was performed in 13 nondiabetic hypertensive patients. One patient developed diabetes mellitus after 1 month of treatment. Of 11 patients, 4 had a 30% or greater increase in fasting glucose after 1 year of therapy and a significant increase in fasting, and 2-hour postglucose-load venous plasma glucose occurred in the 9 patients completing 18 months of treatment. Although the biologic significance of these changes is questionable, the development of hyperglycemia in a patient receiving beta blockers could represent a side effect of drug therapy.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011433:Propranolol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D011433:Propranolol