The Effect of Long-Term β-Adrenergic Receptor Blockade on the Oxygen Delivery and Extraction Relationship in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

Results demonstrate that atenolol treatment in patients with coronary artery disease does not alter VO2 and workload at the anaerobic threshold and peak exercise because of an increase in oxygen extraction and stroke volume in the face of reduced heart rate. These findings indicate that with long-term beta-adrenergic receptor blockade, there is interplay between oxygen delivery and extraction, suggesting a link between cardiac hemodynamic responses and skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations.