In view of the postulated association between lipids and development of atherosclerosis, there is growing interest in the effects of fl-blockers on plasma lipids.
This study was undertaken to investigate whether acebutolol, a cardiac (3, selective blocker which possesses intrinsic sympathomimetic and membrane stabilizing activity, causes significant changes in serum lipids, particularly in their distribution among the different lipoproteins.
Fifteen healthy human subjects, 20-30 years old, ten males and five females, were given acebutolol orally, daily doses of 400 mg for 7 days. Pre-and posttreatment fasting total serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were evaluated.
! Total cholesterol did not change significantly after treatment with acebutolol, whereas a small and nonsignificant decrease was observed in LDL cholesterol; no change was found in HDL cholesterol. Serum triglyceride, however, showed a significant increase. Thus, the most prominent effect of acebutolol in this study is a net increase in serum triglycerides levels.
r´ However, the increase in triglycerides appears to have little relevance as a pro-gnostic index and are not assumed to play an important role in the genesis of atherosclerosis. Indeed, a high triglyceride blood levels, not associated with a reduced HDL cholesterol, is not considered an independent cardiovascular risk factor.
It may be concluded that acebutolol does not have any significant harmful effects on the lipoprotein pattern.
|