The interaction of alcohol and beta-blockers in arterial hypertension

The acute effects of consuming alcohol after a single oral dose of 200 mg of metoprolol or placebo were examined in eight healthy men in a randomized, controlled study. Alcohol, in a dose of 0.75 g/kg body weight, did not abolish the antihypertensive effect of metoprolol upon supine systolic blood pressure. The interaction of alcohol with antihypertensive drugs requires further investigation as hypertensive patients who consume alcohol regularly are known to have less adequate blood pressure control.