Labetalol Dosing

For people who are controlling high blood pressure with labetalol, dosing recommendations generally start at 100 mg twice a day. Depending on your reaction to the medication after several days, your healthcare provider may increase or decrease your labetalol dosage or add another blood pressure medication. In most cases, labetalol dosing guidelines for maintaining one's blood pressure call for a dose between 200 mg and 400 mg twice daily.

 

Labetalol Dosing: An Introduction

The dose of labetalol hydrochloride (Trandate®) that your healthcare provider prescribes will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • Other medical conditions you may have
  • Other medications you may be taking
  • How you respond to labetalol.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your labetalol dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 

Labetalol Dosing for High Blood Pressure

The recommended starting dosage of labetalol for most people with high blood pressure (hypertension) is labetalol 100 mg twice a day. After a couple of days, based on the blood pressure response and/or labetalol side effects, the healthcare provider may increase or decrease the labetalol dosage. Your healthcare provider may also add a diuretic (which is a "water pill") or another blood pressure medication if your blood pressure is not controlled by labetalol alone.
 
The usual maintenance dose of labetalol is between 200 mg and 400 mg twice a day. In some cases, your healthcare provider may recommend taking labetalol three times a day.
 

General Labetalol Dosage Information

Some considerations for people taking labetalol include the following:
 
 
  • Take your dose of labetalol by mouth with a glass of water.
     
  • You may take labetalol with or without food.
     
  • Do not break, chew, or crush the labetalol tablets.
     
  • Take labetalol at the same time each day to maintain even levels of medicine in the blood.
     
  • For labetalol to work properly, you have to take it as prescribed. Labetalol will not work if you take it in a way other than how your healthcare provider has prescribed.
     
  • You may notice an increase in lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting when you first start taking labetalol or when your healthcare provider changes your dosage. This usually improves after a couple of hours. Make sure to avoid driving or other activities that require mental concentration during this time.
     
  • If you do not take your labetalol as scheduled, take your next dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next scheduled dose, skip the missed one and continue with normal dosing. Do not take a double dose.
     
  • You should not stop labetalol without first discussing it with your healthcare provider. Stopping labetalol abruptly increases the risk for serious side effects (see Precautions and Warnings With Labetalol).
     
  • If you are unsure about anything related to labetalol or your labetalol dosage, please talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Also, as explained above, do not adjust your labetalol dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
     
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;