The effects of alpha 1-adrenergic receptor inhibition with doxazosin, and beta-blockade with propranolol on tissue lipoprotein lipases and plasma lipids were studied in rats. In rats fed a normal lab chow, doxazosin increased heart lipoprotein lipase activity (+14%), while propranolol had the opposite effect (-20%). These effects were not statistically significant when compared with nontreated controls, although the difference between the doxazosin and propranolol groups was significant (p less than 0.05). There were no significant effects on adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity or hepatic lipase activity. In rats fed a cholesterol-enriched diet there were similar but smaller effects on heart lipoprotein lipase activity (+5% and -12%, respectively). In these rats alpha 1-inhibition also tended to increase adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase (+14%) and hepatic lipase (+13%), while beta-blockade had the opposite effect (-20% and -9%, respectively). The lipase activities were significantly different between the treatment groups in liver and heart but not in adipose tissue. Doxazosin and propranolol did not affect plasma triglyceride or total cholesterol, but high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was increased during alpha 1-blockade (+24%).