Hemodynamic effects of intravenous labetalol in essential hypertension

Labetalol inhibits alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors. Systemic and regional hemodynamic alterations after intravenous labetalol and its cardiovascular reflexive and metabolic effects were evaluated in 12 subjects with mild to moderately severe essential hypertension. Supine systolic, diastolic, and mean pressures were reduced (from 180/101 and 125 to 149/86 and 109 mm Hg; P less than 0.001). The fall was accentuated during head-up tilt and was accompanied by decreased cardiac output and central blood volume in subjects in both the supine and tilted positions. Neither heart rate nor total peripheral resistance was changed by labetalol, suggesting that venodilation resulting from alpha-adrenergic-receptor inhibition played an important role in arterial pressure reduction.