Administration of a beta-blocker, pindolol, was utilized in the premedication of patients selected for tonsillectomies (dissection), to study anxiolytic effects. A curious result observed was that bleeding during and after operation in patients on pindolol was remarkably reduced compared to those not on beta-blocker treatment. This effect was further explored in a small controlled study. Nineteen patients were given pindolol, 5 mg the evening before and on the morning, an hour prior to surgery. Seventeen controls were on placebos. The amount of bleeding was measured in both groups. Patients on pindolol show significantly reduced bleeding when compared to controls (1.77 +/- 1.15 ml versus 7.30 +/- 6.05 ml; p less than 0.005). Coagulation and fibrinolytic profiles were studied in a number of patients in both groups attempting to clarify the cause of the reduced bleeding. The results will be reported. This preliminary study shows that pindolol is a useful drug for controlling bleeding in tonsillectomies. To our knowledge the haemostatic properties of pindolol have been reported before.

Twenty patients with mild to severe essential hypertension completed a 12-week open crossover study to compare the effectiveness and tolerance of two beta-blocker/diuretic combinations. Patients were allocated at random to receive treatment for 6 weeks with either 40 mg propranolol plus 12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide twice daily or 400 mg acebutolol plus 25 mg hydrochlorothiazide once daily. They were then crossed over to the alternative medication for a further 6 weeks. Blood pressures and pulse rate were monitored in the supine and erect positions at regular intervals, as were side-effects, laboratory variables and ECG. The results showed that both combinations produced significant reductions from baseline in systolic and diastolic blood pressures but that the acebutolol combination produced a significantly greater reduction in diastolic blood pressure. There was no evidence of a treatment sequence effect. The two drug treatments were reasonably well tolerated, with a trend in favour of the acebutolol combination. No clinically significant changes were observed in any of the laboratory parameters investigated and there were no ECG abnormalities.

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Haemodialysis is the most widely used kidney replacement therapy in Indonesia and in the world, but the procedure may trigger development on thrombogenesis. Doe to this reason, anticoagulant heparin is given during haemodialysis to prevent the development of thrombus. However, haemostasis monitoring is essential to predict the possibility of heparin induced bleeding. The use of heparin in general needs a machine to regulate continuous heparin administration, nonetheless not all hospitals have that instruments and for this reasons some centre use intermittent heparin injection. The aim of this study is to investigate whether  intermittent heparin is as effective as continuous heparin to prevent thrombus formation as well as to prevent bleeding and predict the survival outcome. Patient divided in to two grup from intermittent heparin and continuous heparin in total 50 patient were participated. Platelet count, PT, APTT, TT, fibrinogen, and D-dimer were investigated. The result demonstrates that platelet count, PT, APTT, TT, fibrinogen, and D-dimer were not significantly differed between the groups receiving intermittent and continuous heparin (p >0.05). When the test is compared between intermittent and continuous heparin in pre and post haemodialysis it is clear that there is significant increases in APTT and fibrinogen both in the intermittent and continuous heparin, but D-dimer is increased in continuous heparin only during post haemodialysis. There is no difference in the 1-year survival outcome between intermittent and continuous heparin. In conclusion, intermittent heparin produces less D-dimer increase compared to continuous heparin but it is as effective as continuous heparin. Intermittent heparin may be used as the alternative choice when continuous syringe driver machine is not available.