Labetalol Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide
Key takeaways:
Labetalol is FDA approved to treat high blood pressure. It’s part of a group of medications called beta blockers. Labetalol usually isn’t a first-choice option for high blood pressure, except during pregnancy.
Labetalol dosages often start at 100 mg twice daily. Your prescriber may increase your dose every few days if needed. Most people take 400 mg to 800 mg daily, divided into 2 doses.
The dosage of labetalol during pregnancy is similar to the dose taken by non-pregnant adults. If you have high blood pressure during pregnancy, you may need to continue labetalol for a few weeks after you give birth.
You shouldn’t stop taking labetalol abruptly. This can increase your blood pressure and can even lead to a heart attack if you have existing heart disease. Talk to your prescriber before making any changes to your labetalol dosage.
Table of contents
Labetalol belongs to a group of medications called beta blockers. It’s FDA approved to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). It’s typically not a first-choice medication for hypertension in non-pregnant adults. But it is a first-choice medication for high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Labetalol used to be available under the brand-names Trandate and Normodyne. But today, it’s only available as a generic medication. In this guide, we’ll review common labetalol dosages. But if your prescriber recommends something different than what’s discussed here, make sure you follow their specific instructions. Following dosage instructions will help you get the most out of your medication.
Note: Labetalol is only FDA approved to treat adults, so you won’t find children’s dosages in this guide.
What’s the typical labetalol dosage for adults?
The best labetalol dosage for you depends on many individual factors. This includes how high your blood pressure is, how well you respond to initial doses of the medication, and whether it causes bothersome side effects.
Labetalol comes as an oral tablet. It’s available in 100 mg, 200 mg, and 300 mg doses. It’s also available as an injection that’s administered into a vein. This is typically only done in a hospital setting for hypertensive emergencies. This is when your blood pressure is so high that it causes organ damage. Hypertensive emergencies are managed in a hospital setting.
In this guide, we’ll only focus on oral labetalol dosages.
Hypertension in non-pregnant adults
The typical starting labetalol dosage is 100 mg twice daily. If your blood pressure remains high, your prescriber may increase your dose every 2 to 3 days until your blood pressure is sufficiently lowered. A good blood pressure goal is typically 130/80 mmHg or lower for people with hypertension. But you should talk with your prescriber about your individual goal.
Usual labetalol dosages are between 400 mg to 800 mg per day, divided into 2 doses.
People with severe hypertension may need higher labetalol dosages of 1,200 mg to 2,400 mg per day. Higher doses can be divided into 2 or even 3 daily doses to help minimize side effects.
How quickly does labetalol work? Find out how quickly labetalol starts working, along with tips for how to take it.
What side effects should you watch for? Learn about common and rare side effects that can occur when taking labetalol and when to seek medical care.
Does labetalol have drug interactions? Review a list of labetalol interactions you should be aware of to help keep you safe.
The maximum labetalol dosage is 2,400 mg daily, divided in 2 or 3 doses. But dosages this high are typically reserved for people with extremely high blood pressure.
High blood pressure in pregnant adults
The typical labetalol dosage during pregnancy is similar to the doses taken by non-pregnant adults. You may start with 100 mg to 200 mg twice daily. Then, your prescriber may increase your dose as needed up to a maximum daily dose of 2,400 mg (taken as 800 mg every 8 hours).
If you need labetalol during pregnancy, it’s common to continue taking labetalol for a while after your baby is born. This is because hypertension that occurs during pregnancy may not resolve immediately, though it typically resolves within a few weeks.
Good to know: When we talk about hypertension during pregnancy, we’re referring to those who had existing hypertension before pregnancy as well as those who develop it while pregnant. If you develop it after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, it’s called gestational hypertension. If you have gestational hypertension and protein in the urine, it’s called preeclampsia.
Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?
Possibly. Most older adults take a labetalol dosage on the lower end of the dosing range — 200 mg to 400 mg per day, divided into 2 doses. That’s because labetalol may stick around in their body longer. This can lead to higher levels of it in the blood, which can make side effects more likely.
Additionally, some people may need to avoid taking labetalol altogether. This includes people with asthma or a very slow heart rate.
Good to know: Beta blockers like labetalol aren’t first-choice medication options for hypertension (except in pregnancy). Other medications, like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and a type of diuretic (water pill) called thiazides are usually better options. If you need a beta blocker, it will often be taken along with one of these medications. When a beta blocker is added, your prescriber may need to adjust the dosage of your other blood pressure medications.
What if you want to stop taking labetalol?
Stopping labetalol abruptly isn’t recommended. It can cause your blood pressure to increase. It can also cause sweating, a fast heartbeat, and headache. And in people taking labetalol for heart conditions such as coronary artery disease (which is an off-label use), stopping labetalol abruptly can lead to a heart attack or an abnormal heartbeat.
Don’t make any changes to your labetalol dosage without talking to your prescriber first. If your prescriber thinks stopping labetalol is safe, they’ll help you slowly lower your dose over the course of a few weeks.
Keep in mind that many people who are prescribed beta blockers will take them long term. Talk to your prescriber about how long they expect you to take labetalol. This can help you set realistic expectations for how long you’ll need this medication.
What happens if you miss a dose of labetalol?
If you forget to take a dose of labetalol, take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s close to the time of your next dose, skip the missed dose altogether. Never take two doses at one time.
Let your prescriber know right away if you’ve missed multiple doses of labetalol in a row. Missing too many doses can cause your blood pressure to spike. It may also put you at risk for heart-related issues, such as a heart attack.
What should you do if you take too much labetalol?
Taking too much labetalol increases your risk of side effects. This includes fatigue, a slow heart rate, and dangerously low blood pressure. More seriously, this can cause your heart to slow down so much that it stops working (cardiac arrest).
If you think you took too much labetalol, contact your prescriber right away. You can also call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. They can help determine whether you can safely manage your side effects at home. If your symptoms feel severe — like severe dizziness, tiredness, or seizures — seek immediate medical care.
How to save on labetalol
GoodRx can help you save over 60% off the average retail price of generic labetalol. The price of labetalol at certain pharmacies may be as low as $11.78 with a free GoodRx discount.
Frequently asked questions
The blood pressure decrease seen with labetalol varies from person to person. An older study found that a single 200 mg dose of labetalol decreased systolic blood pressure by about 30 mmHg an hour after the dose was taken.
However, keep in mind that beta blockers aren’t as effective at lowering blood pressure (and therefore preventing organ damage due to high blood pressure) than other common blood pressure medications such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. So they’re not typically taken alone for high blood pressure.
Not usually. Another beta blocker called propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL) may be taken off-label to prevent physical symptoms of performance anxiety.
The bottom line
Labetalol (formerly known as Trandate and Normodyne) is a beta blocker medication that’s approved to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). The typical labetalol dosage for adults usually starts at 100 mg twice daily. Your prescriber may increase your dose every few days if you need better blood pressure control. The average labetalol dosage for most adults is 400 mg to 800 mg daily, divided into 2 doses. The maximum daily labetalol dosage is 2,400 mg divided into 2 or 3 doses. The dosage of labetalol during pregnancy is similar to the dose used in non-pregnant adults.
You shouldn’t stop taking labetalol abruptly. This can cause symptoms like sweating, headache, and an increase in blood pressure. If you have heart disease, it could even lead to a heart attack. Talk to your prescriber first about stopping labetalol. They can help you weigh the pros and cons and give you a plan for lowering your dose over a few weeks if appropriate.
Why trust our experts?
References
Davies, A. B., et al. (1982). Rapid reduction of blood pressure with acute oral labetalol. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Garovic, V. D., et al. (2021). Hypertension in pregnancy: Diagnosis, blood pressure goals, and pharmacotherapy: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Hypertension.
Kollias, A., et al. (2015). Association of central versus brachial blood pressure with target-organ damage: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Hypertension.
MedlinePlus. (2023). Labetalol.
Method Pharmaceuticals, LLC. (2024). Labetalol hydrochloride - labetalol hydrochloride tablet, film coated [package insert].
Powles, K., et al. (2017). Postpartum hypertension. Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Thakkar, A., et al. (2022). Cardio-obstetrics: The next frontier in cardiovascular disease prevention. Current Atherosclerosis Reports.
Unger, T., et al. (2020). 2020 International Society of Hypertension global hypertension practice guidelines. Hypertension.
Whelton, P. K., et al. (2017). 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure in adults: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on clinical practice guidelines. Hypertension.
Was this page helpful?
Related Articles
Browse medications
View AllResearch prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.