The effects of oral acebutolol and propranolol on forearm blood flow in hypertensive patients.

1 Nine hypertensive patients received by mouth daily doses of 400 mg of acebutolol and then, after a 2 week washout period, 80 mg of propranolol for 2 week periods in an open study. 2 Both treatments caused equivalent cardiac blockade as assessed by reduction in exercise tachycardia. 3 Both treatments lowered blood pressure, although this effect on pressure was better maintained in the case of acebutolol. 4 Forearm blood flow, at rest, was significantly reduced at 2 h after dosing with propranolol, but not after acebutolol. 5 This difference between the two drugs is probably due to the cardioselectivity of orally administered acebutolol in man.