Prevention of isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy by beta-blocking agents in the rat.

The effect of the beta-blocking agents propranolol and oxprenolol on isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy has been investigated in the rat. To evaluate the degree of inhibition biochemical parameters related to cardiomegaly were measured. When given alone in the dose range used for protection, the beta-blocking agents did not cause any significant change in total myocardial RNA, DNA and protein. Depending on the dose applied, propranolol and oxprenolol prevented partially or totally the cardiomegaly induced by isoproterenol.