[Beta blockers and disturbances of the microcirculation (author's transl)].

Study of 192 cases of hypertensive patients, 89 of whom were treated by diet, general advice and correction of risk factors for an average period of 8 months. The group of patients treated beta blockers consisted of 103 subjects, 28 of whom received Propranolol, 29 Oxyprenolol, 20 Atenolol and 26 Practolol. The prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon was markedly greater in the patients treated with beta blockers, in comparison with the group not receiving any drugs. The highest incidence of vasomotor problems was seen in the group of subjects treated with Propranolol, with 57% of patients having a Raynaud-type paroxysmal acrosyndrome. In more than half of the cases attributed to Propranolol, the clinical picture of Raynaud's syndrome was severe. Discussion of the mode of action of beta blockers on the microcirculation.