Comparison of once and twice daily administration of sotalol in the treatment of hypertension.

Thirty patients with mild to sever essential hypertension, satisfactorily controlled by twice daily Sotalol 80 to 320mg/day, entered a double-blind, crossover study comparing the efficacy, tolerability and safety of their usual twice daily dose of Sotalol with the same total dose given once a daily. Each double-blind period was eight weeks long; during it blood pressure and pulse rate were measured in each patient's home at 8-10 a.m., 12-2 p.m. and 8-10 p.m., on alternate days during the last week of each treatment period. There was no significant difference in bloodpressure or pulse rate betwen each regime for the three readings during the day. The mean serum concentration of Sotalol twenty-four hours after once daily administration was not sigificantly lower than the concentration 12 h after twice daily administration. Once daily dosage did not cause any problems of tolerance.