Sympathetic (alpha-beta) or calcium channel blockade for hypertensive myocardial infarction? A haemodynamic comparison of labetalol and nifedipine

The haemodynamic impact of α- and β-adrenoceptor blockade (labetalol) was compared with that of slow-calcium channel blockade (nifedipine) in 32 patients with sustained elevation of systemic arterial pressure (systolic blood pressure>160; diastolic blood pressure>95 mmHg) following a recent myocardial infarction (6-22 h). Patients with normal (pulmonary artery occluded pressure; PAOP18mmHg; n=16) left ventricular function were randomized to labetalol (1 mg/kg i.v. 15 min) or nifedipine (20 mg sublingually) and haemodynamic profile was measured over 2h.Both drugs equally reduced mean systemic arterial pressure (P