Antihypertensive Treatment with Beta-Blockers in the Metabolic Syndrome: A Review

Metabolic syndrome, a “cluster” of metabolic disorders including hypertension, increases the cardiovascular risk, and insulin resistance plays a key role in its pathogenesis. In this syndrome antihypertensive treatment with betablockers is underused because of their adverse metabolic effects. The aim was to review the evidences supporting the reasons for under-using beta-blockers in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome. A review of Literature has been carried out via PubMed from 1998 to 2008: most of beta-blockers have adverse effects on insulin sensitivity, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and are not recommended in metabolic syndrome. However, some recent large studies have shown a better metabolic profile with newer third generation vasodilating beta-blockers, such as Carvedilol and Nebivolol. Vasodilating action of Carvedilol and Nebivolol, due respectively to alpha1-blocking effect and release of nitric oxide, explains the lack of adverse metabolic effects of these beta-blockers that could also be used in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome.