METOPROLOL-ZOK AND CARVEDILOL IN ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION

The antihypertensive effect of Metoprolosuccinat Zok (zero order kinet ics) and Carvedilol, given once daily in the treatment of arterial hyp ertension, was investigated. The study involved 84 randomized patients , 41 were treated with Metoprolol and 43 with Carvedilol. After a plac ebo-controlled run-inphase of 14 days to wash out prior antihypertensi ve medication, patients were randomly allocated for treatment with 47, 5 mg Metoprolol or 25 mg Carvedilol once daily. Treatment period was e ight weeks with a control examination after four weeks. Blood pressure was 160/101 mmHg in the Metoprolol-group and 162/100 mmHg in the Carv edilol-group at the beginning of the treatment period. There was a sli ghtly higher decrease in diastolic blood pressure after the first four weeks under treatment with Carvedilol(ll mmHg as compared to 8 mmHg u nder Metoprolol) without reaching statistical significance. After eigh t weeks of treatment, blood pressure under Carvedilol was nearly ident ical (mean 144/89 mmHg) to the blood pressure under Metoprolol (145/91 mmHg). Again, there was no significant difference between both groups . In the intention-to-treat-analysis, the proportion of patients with controlled blood pressure (defined as diastolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg) was comparable with 47%. In conclusion, 47,5 mg Metoprolol Zok and 25 mg Carvedilol in a dosage once daily was shown to be clinically bi oequivalent in the treatment of uncomplicated arterial hypertension.