Nebivolol: more than a highly selective Beta blocker.

Author(s): Karter Y

Affiliation(s): Istanbul University, Cerrapasa Medical Faculty, Internal Medicine Department, Istanbul, Turkey. yesarikarter@yahoo.com

Publication date & source: 2007-06, Recent Patents Cardiovasc Drug Discov., 2(2):152-5.

Publication type: Review

Although their specific mechanisms of action are incompletely understood, beta blockers are most likely lower blood pressure and provide target organ protection by several different mechanisms, including inhibition of renin-angiotensine system by decreasing renin release by the jugstaglomerular cells of the kidney, central inhibition of sympathetic nervous system outflow and slowing of heart rate with a decrease in cardiac output. These agents are widely recommended as important parts of antihypertensive regimens and as well as preferred therapies for patients at high risks of coronary heart disease, and including those with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction or heart failure. The third generation beta blockers are distinguished from the earlier class of beta blockers by their vasodilating activity. Labetalol, carvedilol and bucindolol appear to provide a vasodilation primarily through their blockade of alpha-1 rerceptors. Nebivolol is a lipophilic beta reseptor blocker of third generation with distinct beta-1 with selective and vasodilating properties. A number of experimental and human pharmological studies suggest that the vasodilatation is triggered via increasing vascular NO bioavailabilty which is a consequence of stimulation of NO release and antioxidant properties of this compound. The pharmocological profile is characterised by the significant antihypertensive effect as well as lowering of cardiac pre and after load. Nebivolol is well tolerated and does not appear to significantly influence glucose or plasma lipid metabolism. It is devoid of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA). This article will review patents, novel composition, pharmacology, haemodynamics, antihypertensive efficiency, metabolic effect and tolerability of nebivolol.