Metoprolol oros: Reducing medication stress in hypertension

Abstract

AbstractAntihypertensive drug therapy constitutes a “life sentence” of drug‐taking for the patient and reduction of medication stress, by a simplified dose regime helps to ensure patient compliance. Metoprolol Oros (Metoros) contains 190 mg of metoprolol fumarate which allows continuous release of the drug by osmotic pressure to provide adequate therapeutic dose levels for 24 hours. Metoprolol Oros was compared to conventional metoprolol 100 mg bd in 60 newly diagnosed hypertensive patients for 12 weeks, following a one‐week control period. Significant reductions in pulse rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressures occurred in both groups but were significantly greater with metoprolol Oros (p<0.05). Thus, with metoprolol Oros the mean blood pressure fell from 177/103 to 150/84 and with metoprolol fumarate bd from 175/104 to 159/92 mm Hg. by the end of the trial. There were no significant differences between changes in supine and upright blood pressures in either group. The commonest side‐effect with metoprolol Oros was lassitude occuring in six cases (9 per cent) (metoprolol bd three cases, 10 per cent); whilst in the metoprolol fumarate bd group it was nocturia (six cases, 21 per cent) (Oros three cases, 10 per cent). There were no statistically significant between‐group differences in respect of any side‐effects. It was concluded that the trial had demonstrated metoprolol Oros to be an effective method of reducing blood pressure with superior results to the conventional form of the drug.