Bioavailability of labetalol increases with age.
The antihypertensive drug labetalol was administered orally and intravenously to ten hypertensive patients aged between 28 and 75 years. There was a significant increase with age in both bioavailability and half-life of labetalol. Clearance tended to be lower in the elderly subjects. First pass metabolism results in variable oral bioavailability of labetalol which is greater in the elderly and this should be borne in mind when using the drug in this age group.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001682:Biological Availability; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007741:Labetalol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged
D004983:Ethanolamines; D007741:Labetalol