Labetalol use for hypertension may precipitate left ventricular failure, warranting caution in susceptible patients.
A patient treated for hypertension with labetalol developed left ventricular failure. When the drug was withdrawn and the BP controlled with 2 other agents, the signs of heart failure regressed. The ill effects in this case could have been because the beta-blocking effects of labetalol are 4 to 6 times greater than the alpha-blocking effects. Caution should be exercised when prescribing this drug for patients with heart failure or with previous symptoms.
Frais et al. (Wed,) studied this question.