Effect of nadolol on plasma lipids in hyperthyroidism

The effect of Nadolol treatment on lipid subfractions in a group of 23 hyperthyroid patients was assessed in a randomised double-blind placebo controlled trial lasting six weeks, carbimazole being given to both groups from weeks 2 to 6. Clinical and biochemical euthyroidism was seen in both groups at 6 weeks; no effect of nadolol on peripheral monodeiodination of T4 to T3 was observed. At time 0 there were significant negative correlations between total cholesterol and free T3 (r = 0.68), and free T4 (r = 0.54). In the Nadolol group there were significant rises between 0 and 6 weeks in total cholesterol (52.6%, P less than 0.01), LDL cholesterol (30.3%, P less than 0.01) and HDL cholesterol (18.2%, P less than 0.05). HDL cholesterol rose significantly in the placebo group (12.4%, P less than 0.05) but there were no significant increases in LDL cholesterol or total cholesterol. The rise in triglyceride during this period in the Nadolol group (64.7%, P less than 0.05) was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than the rise in the placebo group (8.8%). Nadolol increases triglyceride more than placebo during the early management of hyperthyroidism.