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Effects of Beta‐Adrenoreceptor Antagonists on Cerebral Blood Flow of Cirrhotic Patients with Portal Hypertension
Author(s) -
Testa Roberto,
Rodriguez Guido,
Dagnino Franco,
Grasso Alessandro,
Gris Arturo,
Marenco Stefano,
Nobili Flavio,
Risso Domenico,
Rosadini Guido,
Celle Guido
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
the journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.92
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1552-4604
pISSN - 0091-2700
DOI - 10.1002/j.1552-4604.1991.tb03696.x
Subject(s) - atenolol , medicine , placebo , propranolol , cerebral blood flow , blood pressure , anesthesia , heart rate , hemodynamics , blood flow , cardiology , pathology , alternative medicine
The current study evaluated the effect of two beta adrenergic—blocking agents, propranolol (PRP) and atenolol (ATN), versus placebo on cerebral blood flow (CBF) of three homogeneous groups of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. CBF was measured by the noninvasive 133‐Xenon inhalation method at rest and 1 hour after a single oral dose of PRP (40 mg), or ATN (100 mg), or placebo. Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were measured at the beginning of each examination, and end‐tidal pCO 2 (PeCO 2 ) was monitored. The HR decreased significantly in both the PRP and ATN groups ( P < .01), whereas no changes were recorded for both PeCO 2 and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). The comparisons of the CBF differences among groups (ANOVA with the significance levels adjusted by the Bonferroni's correction) showed a significant increase in CBF after ATN as compared with both placebo ( P < .02) and PRP ( P < .01), whereas no significant differences were seen after PRP as compared with placebo. Our results confirm that PRP does not significantly affect CBF, whereas ATN induces an increase in CBF, although the underlying mechanism is difficult to explain.