[Acetylation phenotype and serum levels of T3 and T4 in patients with hypertension treated with propranolol].

The acetylation phenotype has been investigated in 76 patients with untreated hyperthyroidism. In 65 of these patients including 23 with fast and 42 with slow acetylation phenotype, the blood serum concentrations of thyroxine and triiodothyronine were determined before and after propranolol therapy involving propranolol administration of a dose of 160 mg per day for 6 days. The occurrence of the fast acetylation phenotype among the patients with hyperthyroidism was similar to that found in the healthy population. Propranolol therapy caused a significant decrease in the blood serum concentration of triiodothyronine only in the patients with the slow acetylation phenotype.