Metoprolol (generic: Lopressor) is a medication that is primarily used for high blood pressure.  My mother, who had a heart attack, had been prescribed the medication post-op in conjunction with lisinopril (and other medications which she has since discontinued), which brought up the question to me, why so many medications for "just high blood pressure"?  The doctor informed us that instead of the highest strength of one medication, low doses of multiple medications work better.  But with metoprolol, the main side effect she experienced was lethargy / tiredness. From 50mg to 25mg and now at 12.5mg, metoprolol is effective in maintaining normal blood pressure.  With decreased doses, the lethargy disappears and becomes more tolerable.  The only difficulty is that the lowest tablet available is 25mg, and the tablet is very tiny to cut, which makes for the average 12.5mg but could be off by a milligram or so.  Dosed at twice a day, and relatively less expensive than its brand name or long-acting counterpart (Tenormin or Toprol XL, respectively), metoprolol is a good medication to use.  However, for those just diagnosed with hypertension, it might not be first-line treatment.

TimothyL

Alameda, CA