Effects of carvedilol on circulating levels of endothelin and von Willebrand factor in patients with unstable angina pectoris

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of carvedilol on circulating levels of endothelin (ET) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP). METHODS Forty patients with UAP were randomly divided into two groups. On the basis of anti coagulated and vasodilator remedy patients in control group(n=21) were given benazeptil(10 mg/d) for three days while patients in therapeutic group(n=19) were administered carvedilol(40 mg/d) for three days. Before and at the end of treatment,ET was measured by RIA and vWF by ELISA in patients with UAP and healthy individuals(n=20), heart rate and blood pressure were also recorded. RESTULTS The levels of circulating ET 101.8+/-28.9 versus 110.6+/-43.5 ng/L and vWF 162.6+/-55.6 versus 172.9+/-37.8 % between control group and carvedilol group were not significantly different before treatment, but both were higher than those in healthy individual ET 81.2+/-34.0 ng/L, vWF 142.0+/-49.4 % (P<0.05). After the treatment, the levels of ET 106.3+/-38.2 ng/L and vWF 155.4+/-54.2 % in control group did not decrease significantly (P>0.05), while those in carvedilol group ET 89.2+/-45.5 ng/L, vWF 129.2+/-48.8 % decreased markedly with the reduction of heart rate and blood pressure(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Carvedilol can decrease circulating levels of endothelin and von willebrand factor in patients with UAP markedly.