The use of Doppler ultrasound techniques to study the effects of isoprenaline and beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs on peripheral blood vessels in man.

A Doppler ultrasound technique has been used in six volunteers to determine the effects of intravenous isoprenaline on blood velocity and volume blood flow in the femoral artery and to investigate the effects of single oral doses of atenolol (50 mg) and propranolol (40 mg) on these effects and on heart rate changes. Isoprenaline increased the blood velocity and volume blood flow which was attenuated by propranolol and not by atenolol; the tachycardia of isoprenaline was inhibited by both drugs. The results show that the Doppler ultrasound measurements in the femoral artery can identify pharmacologically induced changes in peripheral blood vessels in the leg and warrants further investigation as a tool to study the pharmacology of peripheral blood vessels in man.