Chronic effects of tertatolol on renal function in hypertensive patients with mild chronic renal failure

To assess the potential benefit of drug-induced renal haemodynamic changes in patients with chronic renal failure, we have evaluated the effects of the beta-blocking agent tertatolol on blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate, and renal plasma flow. Inulin and PAH clearances were performed before and after 3 months treatment and oral tertatolol, 5 mg daily in eight hypertensive patients with moderate chronic renal failure. After 3 months of treatment, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) increased significantly by 10% and 13% respectively, whereas renal vascular resistance decreased by 16% and the filtration fraction was unchanged. These results indicate that tertatolol possesses novel renal haemodynamic properties in hypertensive patients with chronic renal failure. However, the long-term benefit of such a therapy is yet to be confirmed.