Different effects of carvedilol, metoprolol, and propranolol on left ventricular remodeling after coronary stenosis or after permanent coronary occlusion in rats.

BACKGROUND Although carvedilol attenuates left ventricular (LV) remodeling in coronary occlusion-reperfusion, it is not known whether it attenuates ischemic LV remodeling because of coronary stenosis (CS) or permanent coronary occlusion (CO). METHODS AND RESULTS We administered a vehicle, carvedilol, propranolol (2, 10, and 30 mg/kg per day, each), metoprolol (6, 30, and 90 mg/kg per day), or bunazosin (0.2 and 1 mg/kg per day), orally for 12 weeks to a total of 608 rats with CS or CO. In these groups and the sham (n=40), we assessed LV function by echocardiography, CS severity, myocardial blood flow and coronary flow reserve, serum ascorbyl free radical, and vitamin C. Both CS and CO increased LV end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters and decreased ejection fraction. The 4 agents failed to attenuate LV remodeling caused by CO. In contrast, the 3 beta-blockers attenuated (P<0.01) or tended to attenuate the increase in LV end-diastolic diameters caused by CS. With similar blood pressure and heart rate lowering by 3 beta-blockers, carvedilol additionally attenuated the increase in end-systolic diameters and improved ejection fraction. The CS reduced myocardial blood flow and coronary flow reserve, which was reversed by carvedilol without modifying the CS severity. Among the 4 agents, only carvedilol decreased ascorbyl free radical and increased vitamin C. CONCLUSIONS The effects of beta blockade on ischemic cardiac dysfunction seem to depend on the different properties of the beta-blockers and the doses used. Among the beta-blockers tested, carvedilol provided potent cardioprotection for compromised ischemic but viable myocardium rather than for infarcted myocardium.