title: Efficacy of a once-daily formulation of carvedilol for the treatment of hypertension.
abstract: Beta-blockers with pharmacologic effects that differ from conventional agents might add to antihypertensive treatment options. This study evaluated a new once-daily formulation of the beta-/alpha1-blocker, carvedilol controlled-release (CR), in hypertensive patients off treatment or while still taking up to 2 (non-beta-blocker) agents. After a 4-week run-in phase, patients were randomized either to placebo (n=76) or carvedilol CR 20 mg (n=82), 40 mg (n=76), or 80 mg (n=86) once daily. After 6 weeks of treatment, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was repeated to measure the primary end point of changes in mean 24-hour diastolic blood pressure. During treatment, 24-hour diastolic blood pressure fell in the placebo and carvedilol CR 20-mg, 40-mg, and 80-mg groups by (mean +/- SE) 0.4+/-0.9, 4.4+/-0.9, 7.9+/-0.9, and 9.6+/-0.9 mm Hg, respectively (P< or =.001, trend test for all carvedilol CR doses with placebo). Corresponding 24-hour systolic blood pressure changes were 0.6+/-1.4, 6.8+/-1.3, 10.1+/-1.4, and 12.5+/-1.3 mm Hg, respectively (P< or =.001, trend test). Diastolic blood pressure trough-to-peak ratios (placebo-corrected) based on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (trough = mean of 20- to 24-hour post-dose readings; peak = mean of 3- to 7-hour post-dose readings) for 20-mg, 40-mg, and 80-mg doses were 0.73, 0.64, and 0.65, respectively. Adverse events, including clinical chemistry values, were similar in the drug-treated and placebo groups. Carvedilol CR has a clinically meaningful defined dose-dependent antihypertensive effect that persists throughout a 24-hour period.
authors.affiliation: State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, USA. michaelwebermd@cs.com
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Bakris
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Tarka
authors.forename: Malini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iyengar
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fleck
authors.forename: Domenic A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sica
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002170:Canada; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002227:Carbazoles; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol