THE EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM CELIPROLOL THERAPY ON PLATELET-FUNCTION IN ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION

The reduction of increased platelet aggregation in essential hypertens ion is one of the aims of modern antihypertensive therapy. Twenty-one hospitalized patients with non-treated essential hypertension were exa mined. The platelet function measurements were made before the therapy and after 1 week of celiprolol administration (300 mg/day). Fifteen e ssentially hypertensive patients were investigated before and after 1 week of placebo administration. Plasma beta-thromboglobulin was assaye d, and the whole blood platelet aggregation (initial and total - induc ed by adrenaline and ADP) was measured. A significant decrease in adre naline-induced (from 19 to 13%, p < 0.02) and ADP-induced aggregation (from 15 to 13%, p < 0.05) was observed after celiprolol administratio n. This reduction of adrenaline-induced platelet aggregation may be ex plained by the stimulation effect of celiprolol on platelet beta2-rece ptors. Thus, some inhibitory effect of celiprolol on platelet aggregat ion is one of the further advantages of this drug in the therapy of es sential hypertension.