The effect of adrenergic blocking agents (including chlorpromazine) on serum lipid levels of patients with disorders of fat metabolism

Abstract

The effect of four drugs on serum cholesterol, phospholipid and total lipid values was studied in 13 patients with a variety of disorders of fat metabolism. Reductions of 25 per cent or more from mean control values as compared with mean treatment values were considered significant. Reductions of less than 25 per cent but more than 10 per cent were considered to be equivocal. Five of 12 patients treated with chlorpromazine obtained significant reductions in two or more lipid fractions. Five other patients treated with the same drug obtained equivocal reductions. Nine trials of three other drugs were made in 5 patients. One of 4 patients treated with Hydergine had an equivocal reduction in two or more serum lipid fractions. One patient of 2 treated with Regitine obtained a significant reduction. The other obtained an equivocal reduction. One patient of 2 treated with Dibenzyline obtained a significant reduction. The other obtained an equivocal reduction. One patient treated with consecutive course of Hydergine and Regitine obtained an equivocal reduction in serum lipids. The chief pharmacologie effect which these drugs possess in common is their adrenergic blocking action. Chlorpromazine, while not necessarily the best adrenergic blocking drug, appeared to produce the most consistent effects. This drug was used more aggressively than the others in the majority of hospitalized patients. It is possible that the doses of the other drugs were inadequate for optimum effects. It has been postulated that epinephrine plays a role in the mobilization of fat in human beings, which was previously suggested by studies in animals. However, other pharmacologie actions of the drugs tested could have caused the changes observed. At present these observations are of more physiologic interest than therapeutic value.