[Evaluation of labetalol in general medicine in aged patients with hypertension. Compliance, efficacy and safety in long-term treatment].

The efficacy and the clinical and biological safety of labetalol were assessed, in primary care, in an ambulatory hypertensive elderly population, with systolo-diastolic hypertension (mean 175 +/- 14/100 +/- 7 mmHg) monitored during a 6 month period by general practitioners. Two hundred and sixty six of the 309 patients recruited (86%) completed the study, with satisfactory compliance. Mean blood pressure reduction after six months treatment was 27.6/17.7 mmHg and 25.9/17.4 mmHg (p less than 0.001) supine and standing respectively; and 75 p. cent of the patients who tolerated the treatment had their blood pressure normalized (BP less than 160/95 mmHg) with monotherapy by labetalol, posology ranging from 100 to 200 mg b.i.d. in 9/10th of them. Maximal antihypertensive effect, almost obtained within 4 months of treatment, was equivalent in smokers and non smokers (blood pressure normalization 84% vs 74.4%, p = 0.29) and less in obese patients compared to non obese (68% vs 80%, p less than 0.05). Drug withdrawal rate for side effects was only 7.4 p. cent and clinical and biological tolerance to labetalol was satisfactory in most patients. This 6 month survey in primary care confirmed the efficacy of monotherapy by labetalol in elderly hypertensive patients, and good compliance to treatment with a drug well tolerated in this population.