Patients with large esophageal varices who have not yet experienced bleeding, are normally treated with propranolol, a beta blocking agent that reduces the portal pressure and thereby diminish the risk of bleeding. 20-40% of the patients do not respond to this treatment or have to discontinue the treatment because of side effects. The aim of this study is to evaluate if carvedilol (a combined alfa -beta blocker) has better efficacy and safety than propranolol in lowering the portal pressure in patients with cirrhosis.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
40
6.25 mg of carvedilol for 12 weeks, to achieve a satisfactory pulse reduction the doses are doubled weekly up to a maximum of 25 mg carvedilol daily.
80 mg of propranolol for 12 weeks, to achieve a satisfactory pulse reduction the doses are doubles weekly up to a maximum of 360 mg propranolol daily
Hvidovre Hospital
Hvidovre, Denmark
If carvedilol is better than propranolol in lowering portal pressure after 3 months of treatment
Time frame: 3 months
If the effect of a single dose of propranolol can predict the long term effect of propranolol or carvedilol
Time frame: 3 months
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