News of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

Effects of nebivolol on aortic compliance in patients with diabetes and maximal renin angiotensin system blockade: The EFFORT Study

А. Briasoulis, R. Oliva, R. Kalaitzidis, C. Flynn, I. Lazich, C. Schlaffer, G. Bakris 

Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, ASH Comprehensive Hypertension Center, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA 

The beneficial effects of nebivolol on arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction are well documented in untreated hypertensive patients and differ from non-vasodilatory β-blockers. This study tests the hypothesis that the addition of nebivolol in predominantly African American patients with type 2 diabetes already receiving maximally tolerated doses of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers will further improve large artery compliance. Patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension on maximal RAS blockade (n = 70) were randomized to nebivolol or metoprolol succinate daily. Doses were titrated until systolic blood pressure (SBP) was < 130 mmHg. Radial artery applanation tonometry and pulse wave velocity (PWV) analysis were used to derive central aortic pressures and hemodynamic indices at repeated visits at intervals during a 6-month period. Both metoprolol succinate and nebivolol groups demonstrated reductions in brachial SBP (–8.2 ± 4.3 mmHg (p = 0.01) and –7.8 ± 3.7 (p = 0.002), respectively) and aortic DBP (–2.4 ± 1.8 (p = 0.039) and –4.0 ± 2.9 mmHg (p = 0.013), respectively). Aortic SBP decreased in the nebivolol group only (125.3 ± 8.0 to 121.6 ± 8.2, p = 0.025). There were no between group differences in aortic SBP, DBP, augmentation index, or PWV reduction. A significantin crease in hemoglobin A1c was observed only in the metoprolol group. In patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes and hypertension treated with maximally tolerated RAS blockade, nebivolol does not offer significant reductions in aortic BP over metoprolol succinate but maintains a stable metabolic profile.

Key words: arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, β-blockers.