Premium
Labetalol in the Treatment of Essential Hypertension: A Single‐Blind Dose Ranging Study
Author(s) -
Dux Shlomo,
Grosskopf Itamar,
Boner Geoffrey,
Rosenfeld Joseph B.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
the journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.92
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1552-4604
pISSN - 0091-2700
DOI - 10.1002/j.1552-4604.1986.tb03536.x
Subject(s) - labetalol , medicine , blood pressure , hydrochlorothiazide , placebo , anesthesia , oral administration , heart rate , essential hypertension , dose ranging study , pharmacology , double blind , alternative medicine , pathology
The hypotensive efficacy of labetalol was evaluated in 29 patients with essential hypertension in a single‐blind dose ranging study. After a two‐week period of placebo treatment, labetalol was given in oral doses of 0.6 g/d, 0.8 g/d, and 0.8 g/d combined with 25–50 mg/d of hydrochlorothiazide. Each regimen lasted four weeks. The decrease in blood pressure was dose dependent: 90% of patients showed a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure and 75% showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure. In 69% of the patients, side effects of the drug were noted, and in five patients (17%), treatment was discontinued because of the side effects. Seven patients received labetalol intravenously before the oral treatment. Their heart rate and blood pressure reductions were similar to those found in patients only taking the medication orally. We conclude that labetalol is an efficient and safe antihypertensive agent in both oral and intravenous administration. However, the high incidence of side effects makes labetalol a drug of second choice in uncomplicated hypertensive patients.