Summary
Reports on the effects of β-blockers in the treatment of hypertension are remarkable for the wide range of dosage recommendations that have been made about effective initial and maintenance therapy. There has been much debate about the time of onset and duration of action of β-blockers in the management of hypertension.
A series of double-blind studies have been carried out by our group in patients with mild and moderate hypertension. The studies include comparisons of different doses of non-selective and cardioselective β-blockers administered once, twice or thrice daily either alone or in combination with diuretics or methyldopa.
These studies suggest that some of the recommendations on initial dosing or frequency of administration of β-blockers are not substantiated and should be reconsidered. In some instances smaller doses than those currently recommended are almost as effective and cheaper, and in others higher or more frequent dosage than presently recommended is necessary to achieve satisfactory control of elevated levels of blood pressure.
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Petrie, J.C., Jeffers, T.A., Scott, A.K. et al. Dose and Duration of Reponse to β-Blockers in the Treatment of Hypertension. Drugs 25 (Suppl 2), 26–29 (1983). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198300252-00006
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198300252-00006