Summary
Twenty two pregnant women with mild to moderate hypertension were treated with betaxolol (10–40 mg/day), a cardioselective beta adrenoceptor blocking agent.
The analysis of the changes from the baseline confirmed the antihypertensive effect of the drug with a mean decrease in SBP of 11.8 mm Hg and in DBP of 8.3 mm Hg. A diastolic BP < 90 mm Hg was obtained in 20 patients after the first day of therapy.
Fetal safety, assessed by ultrasonography and cardiotocographic recording was excellent.
The 22 mothers gave birth to 23 live born babies (one twin pregnancy). Mean Apgar scores were 8.3 and 9.1 at 1 and 5 min. Only 1 newborn had an Apgar score < 7. Three newborns suffered from fetal distress and 1 from threat for causes not related to therapy. At 9 months follow-up, all 23 babies were in good health.
These data suggest that betaxolol is effective in reducing maternal blood pressure without any deleterious effect on the foetus and the newborn.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beresford R, Heel RC (1986) Betaxolol, Drugs 31: 6–28
Bott-Kanner G, Schweitzer A, Reisner SH, Joel-Cohen SJ, Rosenfeld JB (1980) Propranolol and hydralazine in the management of essential hypertension in pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 87: 110–114
Boutroy MJ (1987) Fetal and neonatal effects of the beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents. Dev Pharmacol Ther 10: 224–231
Boutroy MJ, Vert P, Bianchetti G, Dubruc C, Morselli PL (1982) Infants born to hypertensive mothers treated by acebutolol. Dev Pharmacol Ther 4 [Suppl 1]: 109–115
Boutroy MJ, Boutroy JL, Pépin L, Darmon A, Bianchetti G, Vert P, Morselli PL (1987) Babies exposed to maternal betaxolol (KERLONE) Preliminary data. Clin Exp Hypertens B 2: 243
Caqueret H, Bianchetti G (1984) Simple method for routine determination of betaxolol in blood and urine by automated high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection. J Chromat 311: 199–205
Cavero I, Lefèvre-Borg F, Manoury P, Roach AG (1983) In vitro and in vivo pharmacological evaluation of betaxolol, a new, potent, and selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist. In: Morselli PL, Kilborn JR, Cavero I, Harrison DC, Langer SZ (eds) Betaxolol and other beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, L. E. R. S. monograph series, vol 1, Raven Press, New York, pp 31–42
Cornblath M, Reisner SH (1965) Blood glucose in the neonate and its clinical significance. N Engl J Med 273: 378–381
Dubois D, Petitcolas J, Temperville B, Klepper A, Catherine Ph (1983) Beta blocker therapy in 125 cases of hypertension during pregnancy. Clin Exp Hypertens B 2: 41–59
Ellenbogen A, Jaschevatzky O, Davidson A, Anderman D, Grunstein S (1986) Management of pregnancy induced hypertension with pindolol. Comparative study with methyldopa. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 24: 3–7
Fidler J, Smith V, Fayers P, de Swiet M (1983) Randomized controlled comparative study of methyldopa and oxprenolol in treatment of hypertension in pregnancy. Br Med J 286: 1927–1930
Gallery EDM, Ross MR, Györy AZ (1985) Antihypertensive treatment in pregnancy: analysis of different responses for oxprenolol and methydopa. Br Med J 291: 563–566
Ingemarson I, Liedholm H, Montan S, Westgren M, Melander A (1984) Fetal heart rate during treatment of maternal hypertension with beta-adrenergic antagonists. A preliminary report. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand [Suppl] 118: 95–97
Lamming GD, Broughton Pipkin F, Symonds EM (1980) Comparison of the alpha and beta blocking drug, labetatol, and methyldopa in the treatment of moderate and severe pregnancy induced hypertension. Clin Exp Hypertens B 2: 865–895
Lansac J, Berger C, Magnin G (1983) Obstétrique pour le praticien. Simep, Paris, pp 30–31
Lardoux H, Gerard J, Blazquet G, Chouty F, Flouvat B (1983) Hypertension in pregnancy: evaluation of two beta blockers atenolol and labetalol. Eur Heart J 4 [Suppl]: 35–40
Leroy B, Bessis R (1980) Echographie en obstétrique. Masson, Paris
Livingstone I, Craswelle PW, Bevan EB, Smith MT, Eadie MJ (1983) Propranolol in pregnancy three year prospective study. Clin Exp Hypertens B 2: 341–350
Lubbe WF, Hodge JV (1981) Combined alpha and beta-adrenoceptor antagonism with prazosin and oxprenolol in control of severe hypertension in pregnancy. NZ Med J 94: 169–172
Montan S, Solum T, Sjöberg NO (1984) Influence of the beta-adrenoceptor blocker atenolol on antenatal cardiotocography. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand [Suppl] 118: 99–102
Morselli PL, Boutroy MJ, Bianchetti G, Thénot JP (1989) Pharmacokinetics of antihypertensive drugs in the neonatal period. Dev Pharmacol Ther 13: 190–198
Morselli PL, Kilborn JR, Cavero I, Harrison DC, Langer SZ (1983) Betaxolol and other beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. LERS monograph series, vol 1 Raven Press, New York
Mroczek WJ, Burris JF, Hogan LB, Citron DC, Barker AH, McDonald RH (1988) Comparison of the antihypertensive effects of betaxolol to atenolol. Am J Cardiol 61: 807–811
Olofsson P, Montan S, Sartor G, Sjöberg NO (1986) Effects of adrenoceptor blockade in the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy in diabetic women. Acta Med Scand 220: 321–328
Plouin PF, Bréart G, Maillard F, Papiernik E, Relier JP (1988) Comparison of antihypertensive efficacy and perinatal safety of labetalol and methyldopa in the treatment of hypertension in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 95: 868–876
Rubin PC (1987) Betablockers in pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 94: 292–294
Rubin PC, Butters L, Clark DM, Reynolds B, Sumner DJ, Steedman D, Low RA, Reid J (1983) Placebo controlled trial of atenolol in treatment of pregnancy associated hypertension. Lancet I: 431–434
Rubin PC, Butters L, Clark DM, Sumner D, Belfield A, Pledger D, Robert A, Low AL, Reid JL (1984) Obstetric aspects of the use in pregnancy associated hypertension of the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist atenolol. Am J Gynecol 150: 389–392
Salonen JJ, Palminteri R (1983) Double-blind study of betaxolol and placebo in hypertension. In: Morselli PL, Kolborn JR, Cavero I, Harrisson DC, Langer SZ (eds) Betaxolol an other beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, LERS Vol I. Raven Press, New York, pp 297–302
Sandström B (1982) Adrenergic beta-receptor blockers in hypertension of pregnancy. Clin Exp Hypertens, B1: 127–141
Usher R, McLean F (1969) Intrauterine growth of live-born Caucasian infants at sea level: standards obtained from measurements of 7 dimensions of infants born between 25 an 44 weeks of gestation. J Pediatr 74: 901–910
Walker JJ, Greer I, Calder AA (1983) Treatment of acute pregnancy-related hypertension: labetalol and hydralazine compared. Postgrad Med J 54 [Suppl 3]: 168–170
Williams ER, Morrissey JR (1983) A comparison of acebutolol with methyldopa in the hypertensive pregnancy. Pharmather 3: 487–491
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boutroy, M.J., Morselli, P.L., Bianchetti, G. et al. Betaxolol: a pilot study of its pharmacological and therapeutic properties in pregnancy. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 38, 535–539 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278577
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278577