title: Oral labetalol versus oral clonidine in the emergency treatment of severe hypertension.
abstract: This study was designed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of oral clonidine and oral labetalol in the treatment of severe hypertension in an emergency department setting. Thirty-six patients with severely elevated blood pressure (mean baseline blood pressure 199/132 mm Hg) without acute end-organ dysfunction were treated with either oral labetalol or oral clonidine in a randomized double-blind prospective study. Labetalol was administered as an initial dose of 200 mg, followed by hourly 200 mg doses up to 1,200 mg. Clonidine was administered as an initial dose of 0.2 mg, followed by hourly 0.1 mg doses up to 0.7 mg. Labetalol reduced diastolic blood pressure in 94% of the patients within 6 hours, with a mean reduction in blood pressure of 54/37 mm Hg. Clonidine reduced diastolic blood pressure in 83% of the patients within 6 hours, with a mean reduction in blood pressure of 57/32 mm Hg. The authors conclude that oral labetalol was comparable to clonidine in efficacy, had a similar incidence of side effects, and offered the clinician a useful alternative for the treatment of severe hypertension in an emergency department setting. Further studies are indicated to determine appropriate dosing regimens for oral labetalol in the acute treatment of severe hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, University Hospital, Newark 07103-2425.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Atkin
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jaker
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beaty
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Quadrel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuffie
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Soto-Greene
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003000:Clonidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003971:Diastole / Q000187:drug effects; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007741:Labetalol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003000:Clonidine; D007741:Labetalol