A dose-ranging study of labetalol in moderate to moderately severe hypertension

Labetalol optimal doses for Indonesian patients were investigated in an open, multicentre, unforced titration dose-finding study involving 134 essential hypertensive outpatients with baseline supine DBP (SuDBP) of 105-129 mmHg. Labetalol was started at 50 mg bid and as necessary increased by 50 mg bid every 2 weeks. Evaluable for efficacy were 105 moderate and 25 moderately severe hypertensives. Labetalol was effective (decreased SuDBP to 90 mmHg or less) in 75% of patients and moderately effective (decreased SuDBP at least 10% of baseline but did not reach 90 mmHg) in 10%. The cumulative percent responders were 15, 49, 79 and 85% to final daily doses of 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg, respectively. Adverse reactions were found in 31% of patients, the most frequent were gastrointestinal complaints causing 3 withdrawals. It is concluded that labetalol optimal doses for Indonesian moderate to moderately severe hypertensives range from 100 to 300 mg daily in 2 divided doses.