Premium
Treatment of severe hypertension with intravenous labetalol
Author(s) -
Papademetriou Vasilios,
Notargiacomo Aldo V,
Khatri Ibrahim M,
Freis Edward D
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1038/clpt.1982.185
Subject(s) - labetalol , medicine , anesthesia , blood pressure
The effectiveness of repeated intravenous injections of labetolol in reducing blood pressure (BP) was evaluated in patients with severe hypertension. The subjects were 10 patients who were 29 to 61 yr old and who had diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 125 mm Hg or higher. Repeated injections titrated from 20 to 80 mg were given at 15‐min intervals until there was a reduction in DBP of 30 mm Hg or until 300 mg had been administered. The average reduction of BP ranged from 201 ± 5/132 ± 1 to 157 ± 6/108 ± 4 mm Hg (mean ± SEM). Four patients responded with a reduction in DBP of 30 mm Hg or more with total doses of 60 to 220 mg. Of the remaining six who received the full dose, in four there was a 20 to 29 mm Hg reduction in DBP, in one there was a 10 mm Hg fall, and in one there was no reduction. There was a positive correlation between age and response to intravenous labetolol. No severe side effects were encountered. Intravenous labetolol is useful and well tolerated in patients with severe hypertension. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1982) 32 , 431–435; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1982.185