beta blockers and hyperlipidaemia
Last reviewed 01/2018
- tend to result in an increase in triglyceride level (via an increase in
VLDL) and a reduction in HDL
- increase in VLDL appears to be result of reduced clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (possibly via direct effect on lipoprotein lipase or perhaps because of diversion of blood flow from sites rich in lipoprotein lipase e.g. muscle vascular bed)
- do not appear to affect total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol
- if a patient has a predisposition to hypertriglyceridaemia then beta blocker effect can be marked
Labetalol, which posseses both alpha and beta-blocking activity, is reported to have little effect on serum lipids. Also beta-blockers with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity e.g. acebutolol and oxprenolol, are reported to have little effect on serum lipids.