title: Advantages of a third-generation beta-blocker in patients with diabetes mellitus.
abstract: beta-Blocker use improves outcomes even more for the patient with diabetes mellitus than for the patient without diabetes with a history of acute myocardial infarction or coronary artery disease. beta-Blockers facilitate shifting the metabolism of the myocardium away from free fatty acid toward glucose utilization, thereby reducing the cardiac workload and myocardial ischemia. beta-Blockers are also able to reverse the fetal gene induction program to reverse myocardial remodeling and improve ventricular function. Side effects of beta-blockers in the patient with diabetes include increased insulin resistance with worsening glycemic control, elevated triglyceride levels, and lowered levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Increased frequency of hypoglycemia and its lack of recognition can also be a problem in the insulin-deficient patient but is a minimal problem with the patient with type 2 diabetes. In addition, vasoconstriction, caused by unopposed alpha-activity, can worsen peripheral vascular disease. However, carvedilol, a nonselective beta-blocker with vasodilating and insulin-sensitizing properties, can largely circumvent these problems and is the ideal beta-blocker for the patient with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical School, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. dbell@endo.dom.uab.edu
authors.forename: David S H
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D006801:Humans; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol; D008790:Metoprolol