Effect of pindolol versus atenolol on lipid profile in hypertensive patients

The effect of pindolol (a beta-blocker with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, ISA) on fasting plasma lipid profile in 30 hypertensive patients was compared with atenolol (without ISA) in a crossover single blind study. Both drugs lowered blood pressure. HDL-cholesterol increased significantly with pindolol (from 1.15 +/- 0.05 to 1.34 +/- 0.05 mmol/l at 12 weeks, P less than 0.001), but not with atenolol. VLDL-cholesterol increased with atenolol (from 0.57 +/- 0.09 to 0.86 +/- 0.14 mmol/l at 12 weeks, P less than 0.002), while there was no change with pindolol. These changes in lipoprotein profile suggest a more favourable effect of pindolol than of atenolol on lipid profile.