Investigation of the beta 2-agonist properties of dilevalol: metabolic effects of intravenous infusion.

We describe two studies which investigate the beta 2-agonist properties of dilevalol. We have previously demonstrated, by giving an infusion of terbutaline to human volunteers, that beta 2-stimulation causes a rise in plasma glucose and a fall in plasma potassium. These metabolic effects can be prevented by prior beta-blockade. We now show that infusion of dilevalol produces similar, but quantitatively smaller, metabolic effects at a dose which also produces clinically significant beta-blockade, as judged by a fall in exercise heart rate. This adds support to the claim that dilevalol is a non-selective beta-blocker with selective beta 2-agonist activity.