From the Research
Comparison of Metoprolol Succinate and Metoprolol Tartrate
- Metoprolol succinate and metoprolol tartrate are two different salt forms of the beta-1 blocker metoprolol, used to treat hypertension 1, 2, 3.
- Metoprolol succinate is a controlled release/extended-release formulation, designed to provide relatively constant metoprolol plasma concentrations and beta(1)-blockade, while metoprolol tartrate is an immediate release formulation 1, 3.
- Studies have shown that metoprolol succinate and metoprolol tartrate have similar efficacies in treating hypertension, but differ in their pharmacokinetic properties 3, 4.
Pharmacokinetic Properties
- Metoprolol succinate has a longer duration of action and is suitable for once daily administration, while metoprolol tartrate has a shorter duration of action and is typically administered twice daily 1, 2.
- Metoprolol succinate is designed to release the drug at a relatively constant rate over a period of approximately 20 hours, while metoprolol tartrate releases the drug more quickly 1, 3.
Clinical Outcomes
- Studies have shown that metoprolol succinate and metoprolol tartrate have similar effects on mortality and morbidity in patients with hypertension and coronary heart disease 3, 5.
- One study found that metoprolol succinate was associated with a 34% reduction in mortality in patients with myocardial infarction, similar to metoprolol tartrate 3.
- Another study found that metoprolol succinate was more cost-effective than metoprolol tartrate in patients with mild to moderate hypertension 5.
Health Expenditure
- A study comparing the health expenditure of patients taking metoprolol succinate and metoprolol tartrate found that the average annual health care expenditure was similar between the two groups, although metoprolol succinate had a higher out-of-pocket cost 4.