Antioxidative Actions of Carvedilol in the Treatment of Hypertension

It has been suggested that carvedilol may provide greater benefit than traditional β-blockers in the treatment of chronic heart failure and hypertension because of its antioxidant effects. We have shown that carvedilol inhibits pressure-induced increase in oxidative stress in human coronary smooth muscle cells in culture. We have also shown that carvedilol inhibits oxidative stress of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) in spontaneously hypertensive rats independently of blood pressure. We have examined the effect of carvedilol on reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation by PMNs and mononuclear cells (MNCs) in patients with essential hypertension. ROS formation by PMNs and MNCs in hypertensive patients were significantly increased compared with those in normotensive controls. Carvedilol 20mg significantly decreased ROS formation by PMNs and in MNCs. These findings suggest that carvedilol inhibits ROS formation by PMNs and in MNCs. Thus, in vitro, in vivo and human data of antioxidative actions of carvedilol in the treatment of hypertension will be shown.