OBJECTIVE To assess whether the alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonists currently available for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) (alfuzosin, terazosin, doxazosin and tamsulosin) can be distinguished with regard to clinical efficacy and/or tolerability. METHODS Up-to-date analysis of clinical placebo-controlled or direct comparative ...

It has been shown that inflammation reduces the effectiveness of sympathetic nerves in the regulation of knee joint blood flow, and the joint vascular- ß adrenoceptors are changed due to acute inflammation from a majority of ß-1 to an equality of ß-1 and ß-2 receptors.. To investigate the role of sympathetic nerves in nerve induced vasoconstriction and changes in joint vascular ß-adrenoceptors ...

The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the receptor system involved in controlling encystment in Acanthamoeba using specific agonists and antagonists and to examine whether endogenous stores of catecholamines are produced by the organism. Acanthamoeba trophozoites suspended in axenic growth medium were exposed to adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists to determine which compounds...

Although beta-adrenoceptor antagonists were first developed for their potential therapeutic uses in cardiac disease, it was soon recognized during clinical trials that they had effects on the central nervous system, some ofthem unwanted, but others ofpossible therapeutic value. This paper reviews some recent developments in this area of beta-adrenoceptor clinical pharmacology, earlier studies h...

OBJECTIVES The study investigated whether beta-adrenoceptor antagonists augment the hypertrophic response of cardiomyocytes evoked by norepinephrine. BACKGROUND In adult ventricular cardiomyocytes, stimulation of alpha- but not beta-adrenoceptors induces myocardial hypertrophy. Natural catecholamines, like norepinephrine, stimulate simultaneously alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors. We investigated...

The prevalence of side-effects of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists among hypertensive patients was assessed by two methods. Using visual analogue scales, scores for tired legs, cold digits and vivid dreaming were significantly higher in patients taking beta-adrenoceptor blockers than in patients not taking beta-adrenoceptor blockers. When measured by numerical scales, from 1 to 10, these symptoms ...

The beta-adrenoceptor subtype that mediates adrenaline-induced relaxation was pharmacologically identified in smooth muscle cells of the isolated guinea-pig trachea. Adrenaline produced a concentration-dependent relaxation with a pD(2) value of 7.1. The concentration-response curve for adrenaline was shifted rightwards in a competitive fashion by the beta(1)-/beta(2)-nonselective antagonists pr...

Chronic visceral pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been difficult to treat effectively partially because its pathophysiology is not fully understood. Recent studies show that norepinephrine (NE) plays an important role in the development of visceral hypersensitivity. In this study, we designed to investigate the role of adrenergic signaling in visceral hypersensitivity in...