title: Felodipine, metoprolol and their combination compared with placebo in isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly.
abstract: This study compared with placebo the efficacy and tolerability of optimised doses of felodipine 5-20 mg daily, metoprolol 50-200 mg daily and their combination in subjects 60 years or over with isolated systolic hypertension. The study employed a randomised double-blind crossover design with allocation of treatment order within subjects by Latin squares. For each subject, after a single-blind run-in placebo phase, there were four randomised treatment phases each of six weeks duration, with a dose titration step at three weeks if necessary. Twenty-eight subjects entered the randomised phases of the study and twenty-one completed all four phases--13 male, 8 female (ages: median 71, range 59-85 years). At the end of both the felodipine and metoprolol phases systolic and diastolic pressure were reduced at 2 hours postdose compared with the placebo phase (p < 0.001), the blood pressure reduction with felodipine (-40/-20 mmHg) being greater than that with metoprolol (-15/-9 mmHg) (p < 0.01). Immediately predose (12 hours postdose) there was a persisting reduction of supine systolic blood pressure (-17 mmHg) with felodipine (p < 0.001), but there was no significant effect of metoprolol. At both measurement times the two drugs when in combination had an additive effect on blood pressure. There was a 20% increase in reported symptoms during each of the active treatment phases. Four subjects withdrew during the randomised phases because of probable drug-related adverse events and six subjects required dosage reductions during the felodipine or combination phases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wing
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tonkin
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bune
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chalmers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015736:Felodipine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D013599:Systole
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D010919:Placebos; D008790:Metoprolol; D015736:Felodipine