Effects of xamoterol on sodium excretion in volunteers

Xamoterol has been shown to reduce the frequency of oedema and lung crepitations in heart failure. We examined its effects on blood pressure and renal function in healthy volunteers. Systolic blood pressure rose, sodium and chloride excretion increased and there was a strong correlation in individual subjects between rises in systolic blood pressure and in sodium excretion. Although no changes in glomerular filtration rates were seen, changes sufficient to explain the observed rise in sodium excretion are well within the experimental error of this study. Xamoterol may increase sodium excretion by an action on renal haemodynamics.