BETA-ADRENOCEPTOR-BLOCKING AGENTS AND THE KIDNEY - EFFECT OF NADOLOL AND PROPRANOLOL ON THE RENAL CIRCULATION

1 Nadolol was administered intravenously to five hypertensive patients and three healthy volunteers in balance on a 10 mEq sodium intake. 2 Nadolol (0.3‐10.0 micrograms/kg) induced a significant, dose‐related increase in renal blood flow, measured with radioxenon, with a maximum increase of 72 +/‐ 4 ml/100g/min (26%) at 3.0 micrograms/kg. 3 Heart rate and plasma renin activity decreased significantly over the same dose range. 4 The renal vascular response to nadolol contrasts sharply with those found with other beta‐adrenoceptor‐blocking agents. 5 The magnitude of the increase in renal blood flow, its time‐course and the parallel fall in plasma renin activity raise the possibility that the renal vasodilation reflects the reversal of angiotensin's influence on the renal arterial bed. 1979 The British Pharmacological Society