Racial Differences in Drug Response: Isoproterenol Effects on Heart Rate in Healthy Males

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Abstract
It was the purpose of this study to investigate racial alterations in β-adrenoceptor response. Two groups of healthy, male volunteers gave their consent. There were eight black Americans (mean age, 26.1 ± 2.5 years) and eight white/Caucasian Americans (mean age, 24.4 ± 1.8 years). Each subject underwent an isoproterenol sensitivity test. There was a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the ratio of Emax to ED50 in the white group (25.3 ± 6.4) compared with the black group (37.1 ± 12.4). Over the dose range of 0.1 to 1.0 µg there was a significant increase in response at both the 0.25- and the 0.5-µg dose (P < 0.05), with the black American group appearing to respond with a greater rate of rise in heart rate following the initial doses.