[Effect of alpha and beta receptor blockaders on the degree of glycemia, growth hormone content of blood and catecholamine excretion in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus].

Glycemia, growth hormone level and urinary catecholamine excretion were studied in 182 patients suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus during insulin therapy alone, and in 33 during treatment with insulin plus alpha- and beta-adrenoblockers. Under the effect of alpha-adrenoblockers glycemia proved to fall in the insulin-dependent patients, without increasing the insulin dose. The STH level diminished in these patients under the effect of alpha-adrenoblockers, even when glycemia persisted at the same level. But beta-adrenoblockers aggravated decompensation and the STH level remained unchanged. alpha and beta-adrenoblockers decreased the urinary adrenaline excretion and elevated noradrenaline, dophamine and DOPA excretion, irrespective of blood glycemia. The authors recommend the use of alpha-adrenoblockers to prevent the necessity of a considerable elevation of insulin doses during compensation in patients with the insulin-resistant form of diabetes mellitus. beta-adrenoblockers are not recommended in diabetes mellitus.