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Thomas D. Giles, MD; Michael Weber, MD; David W. Bartels, PharmD; Harold M. Silberman, MD; Lawrence P. Gilderman, DO; James F. Burns, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1990;150(5):974-976.

Abstract
• Antihypertensive therapy with labetalol was evaluated in a prospective, randomized, multicenter, double-blind study of 133 elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension (standing systolic blood pressure [BP] 160 mm Hg; diastolic BP 95 mm Hg). Following a placebo-washout period, patients received either labetalol (n 70) or placebo (n = 63), which was titrated as necessary from 100 to 400 mg twice a day over a 6-week period. Once the BP was controlled (standing systolic BP <160 mm Hg, and 10-mm10-mm Hg decrease from baseline) or the maximum dosage had been given, patients continued receiving the same regimen until the end of the titration period and throughout a 4-week maintenance period. Blood pressure was controlled in 57 (81%) of 70 of the labetalol-treated patients (86% receiving 200 mg twice a day) compared with 34 (54%) of 63 of the placebo-treated patients. Throughout the active treatment periods, BP was significantly lower in patients treated with labetalol compared with those taking placebo; mean standing systolic BP decreased 26 mm Hg in the labetalol group vs 9 mm Hg in the placebo group. Side effects were generally mild, and the dropout rates due to adverse experiences were similar between treatment groups (14% in the labetalol group vs 10% in the placebo group). In summary, labetalol can effectively lower systolic BP in the elderly without causing adverse orthostatic changes.

(Arch Intern Med. 1990;150:974-976)

Author Affiliations
From the Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, La (Dr Giles); Veterans Affairs Center, Long Beach, Calif (Dr Weber); University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford (Dr Bartels); and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC (Dr Burris). Drs Silberman and Gilderman are in private practice in Coral Gables and Pembroke Pines, Fla, respectively.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication December 29,1989.

Reprint requests to the Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112 (Dr Giles).

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