Effect of carvedilol on venous return: a mechanism of reduction in blood pressure.

Abstract We studied the effect of carvediloi, a β-blocker with a potent α-blocking activity, on venous return in anesthetized dogs. Though 3 μg/kg of carvediloi caused a slight increase in blood pressure and total peripheral resistance, these changes disappeared by further doses of the agent. On the other hand, each dose of carvediloi (3-100 μg/kg) decreased venous return significantly and dose-dependently. These results indicate that the hypotensive effect of carvediloi mainly depends on the decrease in venous return rather than arterial vasodilation.