Preserved renal perfusion during treatment of essential hypertension with the beta blocker nadolol.

Several beta-adrenergic antagonists impair renal perfusion during treatment of hypertension in man. The acute and chronic effects of a new noncardioselective beta blocker, nadolol, on renal hemodynamics, intravascular volume, and renal electrolyte excretion were studied in 10 men with essential hypertension. Oral nadolol normalized systemic blood pressure without impairment of glomerular filtration rate or renal blood flow, indicating preserved renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate autoregulation. Intravascular volume and renal excretion of electrolytes were similarly unaltered. Once-daily nadolol lowers blood pressure without renal hemodynamic of functional embarrassment.