Comparison of Effect of Nebivolol and Bisoprolol on Sexual Function of Hypertensive Female Patients

Abstract

Introduction Male and female sexual dysfunction is frequently found in patients with hypertension. Many studies indicate that this is found more frequently in patients treated with beta-blockers rather than due to hypertension itself; however, almost all studies have been done on male population. This study aims to study the effect of two commonly used beta-blockers on sexual function of a hypertensive female patient. Methods This two-arm open-label randomized prospective study was conducted from April 1, 2019 to March 30, 2020 in a tertiary care hospital at Pakistan. One hundred and fifty participants randomized to group A were given nebivolol 5 mg once daily in addition to their current hypertensive treatment. Another 150 participants randomized to group B were given bisoprolol 5 mg once daily in addition to their hypertensive therapy. Sexual function was assessed on day 0 and day 90 using female sexual function index (FSFI). Results The mean sexual score in the nebivolol group significantly improved after day 90 in comparison to day 0 (24.16 ± 2.1 vs. 26.91 ± 2.6; p-value < 0.0001), while no difference in sexual score in bisoprolol group after day 90 was observed (24.14 ± 2.1 vs. 24.12 ± 2.0; p-value = 0.91). Conclusion In this study, nebivolol group was associated with a significant improvement in sexual function. This can be due to additional vasodilation properties and a low risk of sexual side effects associated with nebivolol.