In conclusion , NVBBs , but not VBBs , determine a lower reduction in cSBP than in pSBP .
However , the difference in treatment-induced SBP amplification changes between NVBB and VBB is nearly abolished after accounting for differences in heart rate changes
β-Blockers are less effective than other antihypertensive drug classes in reducing central systolic blood pressure ( cSBP ) as compared with peripheral SBP ( pSBP ) .
Whether this effect is less pronounced with vasodilating β-blockers ( VBB ) when compared with nonvasodilating β-blockers ( NVBB ) remains unsettled .
Acute &bgr;-Adrenergic Blockade Increases Aortic Wave Reflection in Young Men and Women: Differing Mechanisms Between Sexes
Acute & bgr;-adrenergic blockade increases aortic wave reflection ; however , the mechanisms remain unclear . Evidence suggests that & bgr;-adrenergic receptor sensitivity in the peripheral vasculature differs between sexes . Therefore , the goal of this study was to examine whether & bgr;-adrenergic blockade alters aortic wave reflection to a similar extent in young men and women . In 31 subjects ( 16 men and 15 women ; 26±1 years ) noninvasive aortic pressure waveforms were synthesized from high-fidelity radial pressure waveforms via applanation tonometry before and during systemic & bgr;-blockade ( 0.25 mg/kg bolus , followed by 0.004 mg/kg per minute of continuous infusion of propranolol ) . & bgr;-Blockade  increased aortic augmentation index and wave reflection amplitude ( aortic augmented pressure ) in both sexes ( P<0.01 ) . Although the increase in augmentation index was not significantly different between sexes ( 7.5±1.1 % versus 4.6±1.5 % ; P=0.07 ) , the increase in aortic augmented pressure was greater in women compared with men ( 2.8±0.5 versus 1.4±0.5 mm Hg ; P<0.05 ) . Aortic augmentation index adjusted for a heart rate of 75 bp increased in women ( 4.1±1.1 % ; P<0.05 ) after & bgr;-blockade , whereas it was unchanged in men ( 0.6±1.3 % ; P=0.33 ) . Moreover , the change in aortic augmentation index was inversely associated with the change in heart rate only in men ( r=−0.54 ; P<0.05 ) . Our data suggest that aortic wave reflection is increased to a greater extent in women after systemic & bgr;-blockade , and enhanced aortic wave reflection appears to be mediated by a reduced heart rate in men , whereas the mechanism is unclear in women
In conclusion , NVBBs , but not VBBs , determine a lower reduction in cSBP than in pSBP .
However , the difference in treatment-induced SBP amplification changes between NVBB and VBB is nearly abolished after accounting for differences in heart rate changes
β-Blockers are less effective than other antihypertensive drug classes in reducing central systolic blood pressure ( cSBP ) as compared with peripheral SBP ( pSBP ) .
Whether this effect is less pronounced with vasodilating β-blockers ( VBB ) when compared with nonvasodilating β-blockers ( NVBB ) remains unsettled .