Abstract
To the Editor. —Central nervous system (CNS) symptoms are among the frequent side effects of β-adrenergic antagonists. The various β-blockers differ, however, in their propensity to cause CNS side effects. This variability has been commonly attributed to differences in their lipid solubility, 1 since lipophilicity generally does correlate with CNS concentration, and highly lipid-soluble agents, such as propranolol, have been thought to cause more CNS side effects than hydrophilic drugs like atenolol. It now appears, however, that the situation is more complex. Gengo and associates 2 recently reported in theArchivesthat atenolol and the lipid-soluble β-blocker metoprolol had CNS-depressant effects that were similar in intensity, though actually of lesser duration with metoprolol. We have found that betaxolol (another new lipid-soluble β-blocker) and atenolol are associated with a similar incidence of CNS side effects. 3 Dilevalol, a lipophilic optical isomer of labetalol, also has a relatively low incidence of CNS
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.