Comparative study of stress reactions during oral surgery after pindolol and metoprolol

The prophylactic effect of a single oral dose of 5 mg pindolol (P) or 100 mg metoprolol (M) on sympathetic and adrenergic stress reactions was investigated by a double blind study in 40 patients undergoing oral surgery. A reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as heart rate was noted after both, P and M, as was the increase of these parameters during surgery. Adrenaline-, noradrenaline- and c-AMP-level were reduced after systematic beta-blockade by P only, not after M. The increased lipolysis and glycolysis during surgery were prevented by P only. The stimulation of the hypothalamic and adrenal stress reactions were not influenced by either P or M. The application of the systematic beta-blocker with ISA (P) only was suited to prevent the increase of catecholamine levels in plasma and peripheral receptor stimulation.