Effects of nebivolol on endothelial function and exercise parameters in patients with slow coronary flow

Earlier studies have reported that a decrease in exercise capacity might indicate endothelial dysfunction. However, the effects of improvement of endothelial functions on exercise capacity have not been evaluated. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of nebivolol on flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), and on the exercise capacities of the patients with slow coronary flow (SCF).

The study population included 25 subjects with SCF (Group 1) documented by the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count, and 25 control group (Group 2) subjects with normal coronary angiography, for a total of 50 subjects who underwent coronary angiography due to several indications and had no coronary lesion. The TIMI frame count (TFC) values of the subjects in Group I for left anterior descending artery, right coronary, and circumflex coronary artery were 61.8 +/- 30.6, 37.2 +/- 17.4, and 34.6 +/- 17.4, respectively. All the subjects received nebivolol 5 mg/day.

At the end of the first month of FMD, the mean exercise duration (MED) and the Duke Scores of the patients with SCF were significantly higher than the baseline values. However, the values by the sixth month did not differ from that at the first month. Although a numerical improvement compared to the baseline values was observed for the subjects in Group 2 by the measurements at the end of the first and the sixth month, this difference was not statistically significant.

Nebivolol treatment increases FMD in the subjects with SCF. The difference in the exercise parameters of these subjects is particularly dramatic, and such an outcome may indirectly indicate long-term improvement in endothelial function.