Year: 1978
Type: editorial
Abstract: HYPERTENSION, One of the more difficult problems is patient medication compliance.Although there are several mechanisms to improve medication compliance, one effective mechanism that has not been adequately stressed is to simplify the patient's drug regimen.While several antihypertensive agents, including reserpine, guanethidine and thiazide diuretics, are usually given in single doses, other agents (e.g., hydralazine, propranolol, methyldopa) continue to be given by many, and probably most, practitioners in three to four divided daily doses.Over the past few years, numerous authors have reported that methyldopa, 1-5 propranolol 6-10 and hydralazine 11 • 12 can be administered safely and effectively twice daily.In addition, recent investigations indicate that in the not too distant future, single daily dosing of methyldopa 13 • 14 and propranolol 15 " 18 will be feasible.In Sweden, beta-blockers are now officially approved for administration in single daily doses for the treatment of hypertension.19 .Clinical experience with twice daily dosing of hydralazine, propranolol, and methyldopa in our clinics has been quite encouraging.More investigation on single daily dosing of propranolol and methyldopa is needed in the United States.However, we envision the time when antihypertensives will be prescribed in single and twice daily doses almost exclusively.Since hypertension affects such a large number of people in this country, and since lack of effective therapy is often catastrophic, all health care practitioners should continue to improve further the care of hypertensive patients.One potentially effective means of improving hypertensive patient care is for pharmacists to educate and encourage their physician colleagues with regard to prescribing simplified antihypertensive dosing regimens.For the moment, twice daily dosing of hydralazine, methyldopa and propranolol should be strongly encouraged.For the future, further documentation of the efficacy and safety of single daily doses of methyldopa and propranolol should be eagerly anticipated by all practitioners.
Source: Annals of Pharmacotherapy
Institution: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2199811752