In a prospective trial assessing the effects of beta-blockers on sexual function men with coronary heart disease were randomized to a 4 month treatment with sustained release metoprolol 95 mg or placebo. A standardized and validated self-report questionnaire (KEED ¼ Kö lner Erhebungsbogen der Erektilen Dysfunktion) dealing with several aspects of sexual performance in men had to be answered at the beginning and at the end of the study. Based on 65 patients completing the study, sex life seemed unaffected by metoprolol treatment.

The phenomenon of the privacy paradox states that people are concerned about their data, but do not behave accordingly by avoiding disclosure of personal data, for instance, when using social media. Since findings about the influence of privacy concerns on privacy-related behavior are controversial, the present study investigates whether social norms or individual privacy concerns provide a better explanation of disclosure behavior. Therefore, a social media app dummy was developed and the social norm manipulated by altering the amount and the sensitivity of information provided in a fictitious app user profile. Regarding social norm factors, the results of the online experiment (N = 42) revealed that only the sensitivity of the data in the dummy profile demonstrated a medium effect on the amount of personal data given by the participants. Considering individual factors, the less concerned individuals were about their privacy, the higher were the amount and the degree of sensitivity of the personal information participants disclosed. In addition, participants differentiated between sensitive or non-sensitive information when disclosing their data. They disclosed sensitive information significantly less often, regardless of the dummy profile they saw. Altogether, the study results do not support the privacy paradox and demonstrate implications for media education.

This study tested the hypothesis that metoprolol reduces the restenosis rate after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in native coronary arteries as compared to placebo. Apart from prognostic clinical effects in the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease, several in vivo and ex vivo studies have demonstrated antiproliferative and antiatherogenic effects of beta-blockers. In the present study, 192 male patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion to metoprolol sustained-release treatment or placebo starting at least 1 day before angioplasty. Lesion diameters and restenosis rates were evaluated using automatic edge detection systems. The study endpoint was the angiographic restenosis rate 4 months after PTCA. Ninety-seven randomized patients had a control angiography a mean of 4.5 months after PTCA. Dropouts were evenly distributed between the metoprolol and placebo groups. Lumen loss in the target lesion was 0.36 mm in the metoprolol group and 0.32 mm in the placebo group. Restenosis rates averaged 57.5% in the metoprolol group and 44.2% in the placebo group using conventional restenosis criteria. Taking metoprolol serum levels above 50 mmol/l as an indication of definite compliance with the metoprolol treatment, the restenosis rate was 58.3%. In conclusion, 95 mg of sustained-release metoprolol failed to reduce the restenosis rate following angioplasty in native coronary arteries.