[Atenolol in the treatment of patients with airway obstruction]

Tachycardia in the asthmatics and bronchitis patients is very frequently observed. Atenolol-beta 1 selective beta-blockers, have little lipophilicity and intrinsic sympathetic activity and relatively long acting. It is known that atenolol more then other beta-adrenergics decreases frequency of cardiac rhythm even in a doses which have not antiarrhythmic nor hypotensive action. Atenolol effect on airways resistance was studied in patients with chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma determining the heart rate, pulse and atrial blood pressure and the vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1%VC), value of maximal expiratory flow at 50% of VC(MEF50) thoracic gas volume (TGV) and bronchial resistance (Rt). A statistically significant difference in the measurements of heart rate and pulse but no rise of the airways resistance after 25-50 mg atenolol per day was observed.