[Effect of bisoprolol, a beta 1-selective beta-blocker, on lipid and glucose metabolism and quality of life in elderly patients with essential hypertension].

The present study investigated the effect of bisoprolol, a beta 1-selective beta-blocker without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA), on lipid and glucose metabolism and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients with essential hypertention. Bisoprolol at doses of 5-10 mg was administered once daily for 12 weeks to 60 non-elderly and 21 elderly outpatients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. In both groups bisoprolol significantly decreased both systolic and diastolic blood pressures and significantly reduced pulse rates to the same extent. The levels of serum cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride, and the response of plasma glucose and insulin to 75 g oral glucose load, were not changed in either group by the bisoprolol treatment. Bisoprolol significantly improved QOL in both groups. Bradycardia, a side effect attributable to bisoprolol, was noted in only one patient in the elderly group. These results suggest that bisoprolol is a safe and useful antihypertensive drug in elderly and non-elderly patients with essential hypertension.