[Effects of sotalol on ventricular function]

There were studied 31 patients 20 of them sanes and 11 with sustained systemic arterial hypertension to whom it was administered propranolol and sotalol in different periods. By means of phonomechanocardiographic study it was observed that the contractile heart function didn't present alterations in the sane patients, with the administration of the two drugs. Sotalol produced significative changes with depression of contractility in hypertense patients, even though there were no alterations of the "pump" function. It is probably on account that hypertensive cardiopathy per se has a minor functional myocardiac reserve and the negative inotropic effect is made evident with greater clearness. The fall of the elevation velocity of radial pulse (EVRP) in the two groups, suggests the increase of vascular resistances by the peripheric beta blockade.