Perioperative Effect of Atenolol on Cytokine Profiles
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2008-09-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Studies have shown that beta-blockers such as atenolol when given in the perioperative period
reduce morbidity and mortality. One study showed that atenolol given just during the surgery
period, seemed to improve outcomes up to 2 years later. This is hard to explain since
beta-blockers act on the body by blocking the effects of adrenalin and thereby lowering heart
rate and blood pressure.
This study is designed to find out if perioperative atenolol might exert its long term
effects through an anti-inflammatory mechanism rather than by lowering heart rate and blood
pressure. It is known that inflammation increases after surgery as part of the healing
process. However, it is also becoming clear that low-grade chronic inflammation can also lead
to long term adverse effects.