title: A general-practice study of the efficacy and tolerability of metoprolol in mild essential hypertension.
abstract: The efficacy and tolerability of metoprolol (100 mg once a day) were assessed in general practice in 6713 newly-diagnosed or previously-treated hypertensive patients in an open study of eight weeks' duration. In 3534 mildly-hypertensive patients who were eligible for the efficacy analysis, the mean blood pressure level was reduced by 19/10 mmHg; 68% of the patients achieved diastolic blood pressures below 90 mmHg by the end of the assessment period. Of 6557 patients who were eligible for the tolerability analysis, only 5.6% of patients withdrew because of adverse events. The incidence of adverse events diminished considerably from the clinic assessment at four weeks (20%) to that at eight weeks (11%). At the completion of the study, 92% of the mildly-hypertensive patients were to continue with metoprolol, either as monotherapy (including 64% of patients who were receiving 100 mg once a day and 6% of patients who were receiving 50 mg once a day), or as combination therapy. Analysis of the large subgroup of mildly-hypertensive elderly patients (n = 1214) and of moderately-hypertensive patients, whose diastolic pressures exceeded the set upper limits (n = 2505), showed similar efficacy and tolerability results. Sixty-eight per cent of the former and 47% of the latter demonstrated satisfactory control of blood pressure. These results show that the majority of mildly-hypertensive patients can be controlled with 50-100 mg of metoprolol once a day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Frewin
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Reddrop
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Treloar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008790:Metoprolol