Summary
The presence of cold sensitivity was investigated in three groups of patients; untreated hypertensives and hypertensives treated by a beta-adrenoceptor blocker (propranolol) or by a combined alpha-and beta-adrenoceptor blocker (labetalol) at two ambient temperatures. At a comfortable ambient (24°C) one-third of the untreated and those treated with beta-blockade only showed cold sensitivity as compared with 16% of patients on the combined therapy. Under conditions of mild cold stress (20°C) cold sensitivity increased in frequency in all three groups, more than half of the untreated and beta-blocked patients were affected and greater than one-third of those with alpha- and beta-blockade. These findings indicate that in the general population of hypertensives treatment with beta-adrenoceptor blockade alone may have little effect on the peripheral vasculature and that a useful degree of protection may be provided by therapy which blocks both receptors.
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Cooke, E.D., Bowcock, S.A. & Smith, A.T. Cold sensitivity in essential hypertension: the effect of beta- and combined alpha- and beta-blockade. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 29, 33–36 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00547365
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00547365