Question

Patient X has uncontrolled hypertension due to his unattentiveness in taking his metoprolol medication. Doctor A recommended him to switch his Metoprolol immediate release tablet 100 mg twice daily to switch to Metoprolol extended release 200 mg once daily. Based on the concept of bioavailability, comment if these drugs provide the same therapeutic effects? Are there any benefits of switching the drug?

Answer 1

Metoprolol drug administration can be of 2 types:and the two of the medication types have differences in their action in a small amount. Metoprolol is in 2 salt forms and they are: metoprolol tartrate and metoprolol succinate.

we can look on to the therapeutic benefits of the two salt forms of metoprolol.

* They contain different salt forms: tartrate and succinate

* both the drugs are administered in different doses

* Both of the medications are belonging to the class of beta-blockers drugs.

* they both work by relaxing the blood vessels and as well as by the slowing down of heart rate of the patient.

Metoprolol tartrate

USES: blood pressure treatment,management of chest pain in heart disease, treating or preventing heart attack.

It is a fast releasing drug that means the drugs can be released into the blood stream rapidly and results in rapid action.

It will not stay in the body as long as the metoprolol succinate ( bioavailibility is different when compared to the other).

multiple frequency of the drug will be necessary.

Metoprolol succinate

USES: to treat high blood pressure and chest pain relief caused due to the heart disease, to treat heart failure. Metoprolol succinate is not usefull to prevent the heart attacks

It is the drug that is a extended release medicine , which means that the metoprolol succinate will release slowly to the blood stream and their by results in a slow and long action of the drug in the body.

It stays in the body for a long time and there by the action is much more longer. This facilitates the patient only to have the medication as asingle dosage per day.

Now we can look on to the patients situation.

* patient iwas on the treatment of metoprolol tertrate- two doses per day

* now the regimen is modified into the drug therapy of metoprolol succinate- single dose

* The treatment modification is very usefull to the patient for taking the medications at the correct dose and at the correct time.

*The single administration of the drug will increase the acceptance of the patient.

* Both the medications are acting as along acting drug. but the bio availibility is different and therfore both the drugs acts as different in blood pressure control.

* the extended release regimen of metoprolol succinate is more effective in the patient.