The treatment of high blood pressure in the elderly: a multi-centre evaluation of a fixed combination of metoprolol and hydrochlorothiazide ("Co-Betaloc") in general practice.

A post-marketing surveillance programme was carried out in general practice to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a fixed-dose combination of 100 mg metoprolol and 12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension, with particular reference to elderly patients. Patients received a single daily dose over a period of 3 months. The results of the analysis of data from 1446 patients showed that, although the initial blood pressure was higher in the elderly, both the systolic and diastolic pressures were reduced by the same degree after 3-months' treatment, regardless of age. The incidence of side-effects was similar in all age groups, although a higher proportion of these side-effects led to treatment withdrawal in the elderly, possibly reflecting an increasing overall intolerance to drugs with age. The results suggest that treatment with the metoprolol/hydrochlorothiazide combination is effective and well tolerated in the majority of hypertensive patients, irrespective of age or previous antihypertensive therapy.