Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0085580 (essential hypertension)
 14,686 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

1 Labetalol is an effective agent in essential hypertension as documented in open studies and controlled studies in which its efficacy has been compared with both placebo and a variety of other anti-hypertensive drugs. 2 Labetalol given by mouth lowers blood pressure rapidly. There is no evidence of tolerance to its anti-hypertensive action. 3 Adverse effects include excessive hypotension, but only when the drug is given in large doses. Epigastric discomfort and scalp tingling have been documented especially after intravenous administration. 4 From a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic point of view, labetalol can be given once daily, but postural hypotension after large (greater than 1 g) single doses may limit the usefulness of once daily regimes. Twice daily administration appears an acceptable compromise.
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PMID:Labetalol in essential hypertension. 612 64

Labetalol is a combined alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent for oral and intravenous use in the treatment of hypertension. It is a nonselective antagonist at beta-adrenoceptors and a competitive antagonist of postsynaptic alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Labetalol is more potent at beta that at alpha 1 adrenoceptors in man; the ratio of beta-alpha antagonism is 3:1 after oral and 6.9:1 after intravenous administration. Labetalol is readily absorbed in man after oral administration, but the drug, which is lipid soluble, undergoes considerable hepatic first-pass metabolism and has an absolute bioavailability of approximately 25%. There are no active metabolites, and the elimination half-life of the drug is approximately 6 hours. Unlike conventional beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, labetalol, when given acutely, produces a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure with little alteration in heart rate or cardiac output. However, like conventional beta-blockers, labetalol may influence the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and respiratory function. Clinical studies have shown that the antihypertensive efficacy of labetalol is superior to placebo and to diuretic therapy and is at least comparable to that of conventional beta-blockers, methyldopa, clonidine and various adrenergic neuronal blockers. Labetalol administered alone or with a diuretic is often effective when other antihypertensive regimens have failed. Studies have shown that labetalol is effective in the treatment of essential hypertension, renal hypertension, pheochromocytoma, pregnancy hypertension and hypertensive emergencies. In addition, preliminary studies indicate that labetalol may be of value in the management of ischemic heart disease. The most troublesome side effect of labetalol therapy is posture-related dizziness. Other reported side effects of the drug include gastrointestinal disturbances, tiredness, headache, scalp tingling, skin rashes, urinary retention and impotence. Side effects related to the beta-adrenoceptor blocking effect of labetalol, including asthma, heart failure and Raynaud's phenomenon, have been reported in rare instances.
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PMID:Labetalol: a review of its pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical uses and adverse effects. 631 May 29

Thirty-two patients with primary hypertension were studied in a double-blind cross-over comparison between the cardioselective beta 1-blocking agent atenolol and the combined alpha- and beta-blocking agent labetalol. The doses used were atenolol 50--150 mg twice daily and labetalol 200--600 mg twice daily. Both drugs effectively reduced blood pressure and heart rate. Dose increments every second week resulted in a higher proportion of patients with normal blood pressure (les than or equal to 150/90 mm Hg) with both drugs. Labetalol was somewhat more effective in lowering upright blood pressure while atenolol caused a more pronounced heart-rate reduction. Both agents decreased plasma renin activity and urinary aldosterone excretion. Scalp tingling on labetalol (2 patients) and cold fingers with atenolol (1 patient) caused withdrawal of the drugs. Cold fingers were reported in another four patients during treatment with atenolol and in one when on labetalol. Tiredness and postural symptoms were more common during intake of labetalol.
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PMID:Antihypertensive and metabolic effects of increasing doses of atenolol and labetalol. A comparative study in primary hypertension. 676 Jun 79

The effects of labetalol, an alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug, on blood pressure, heart rate, plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone were studied in 17 adult patients with essential hypertension. Following a total dose of 1 g labetalol administered over a 48-hour period, there was a rapid and significant fall in systolic and diastolic BP averaging 16,5 +/- 7,9%/14,8 +/- 7,5% respectively supine, 18,7 +/- 8,3%/17,8 +/- 7,2% standing and 23,9 +/- 7,1%/16,8 +/- 10,3% after moderate exercise; 24 hours after labetalol was discontinued, the BP had gone up but was still below pretreatment values. Bradycardia remained slight throughout. During treatment a significant decrease in PRA (mean : 45%) was observed in all patients and found to correlate in standing position with changes in standing and post-exercise mean arterial pressure. There was no significant changes in plasma aldosterone. Side-effects were mild and limited to tingling of the scalp in 5 patients. No clinical symptoms of postural hypotension were recorded.
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PMID:[Essential arterial hypertension. Effects of labetalol on blood pressure and renin-angiotensin system (author's transl)]. 700 49