The state of microcirculation during use of long acting metoprolol

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of prolonged action metoprolol on the microcirculation in patients with essential hypertension (EH). We studied 51 patients with EH aged 53,4+/-4,5 years. After 7-10 days of "wash-out" period and after 8 weeks of prolonged action metoprolol (betaloc ZOK) the state of microcirculation was investigated with the use of laser Doppler flux-metry (LDF). We found significant decrease in basically enlarged basal blood flow and the level of sympathetic activity, increase in the amplitude of cardiodependent waves, normalization of basal blood flow decrement in postural test, increase in capillary blood flow reserve in patients with stage I-II EH. We failed to observe any significant changes in the microcirculatory parameters in patients with stage III EH. Treatment with prolonged action metoprolol led to increase in the number of patients with normocirculatory type of microcirculation primarily due to the decrease in the prevalence of hyperemic type. We conclude that prolonged action metoprolol does not alter microcirculation in patients with EF. Moreover, at the early stages of EH it improves the functional state of peripheral hemodynamics due to suppression of sympathetic activity.