Carvedilol vs. Metoprolol: Which Is Better for Blocking Heart Failure?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMain Similarities and DifferencesWhat Is Carvedilol?What Is Metoprolol?Safety RisksWho Should Be Cautious When Taking Carvedilol or Metoprolol?

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Main Similarities and Differences

What Is Carvedilol?

What Is Metoprolol?

Safety Risks

Who Should Be Cautious When Taking Carvedilol or Metoprolol?

Carvedilol and metoprolol are both beta-blocker medications, which are a class of drugs used to treat various cardiovascular conditions like heart failure and hypertension (high blood pressure). These medications are similar but have some differences in their list of indications, and one may be a better choice for some individuals.

Indications for carvedilol include:

Benefits

Some benefits of carvedilol include:

Side Effects

Common side effects of carvedilol include:

Less common side effects of carvedilol that may be more serious include:

Metoprolol is a cardioselective beta-blocker, which means it has more affinity to block beta-1 receptors primarily located in the heart and has minimal effect on beta-2 receptors in the lungs and blood vessels.

Approved indications for metoprolol include:

Benefits of metoprolol include:

Common side effects of metoprolol are similar to those of carvedilol and include the following:

Potentially more serious side effects, again similar to those of carvedilol, include:

These drugs have a number of important precautions to be aware of. Take carvedilol or metoprolol exactly as prescribed to you, and do not stop taking the medication abruptly.

If you forget to take a dose of carvedilol or metoprolol, you can take it as soon as you remember. If you are closer to your next dose than the dose you missed, go ahead and skip the missed dose and wait for your next scheduled one. For example, if you normally take carvedilol twice daily at 8 am and 8 pm, and you remember at 5 pm that you forgot your morning dose, just wait and take your next dose that night at 8 pm. Do not double up doses to make up for missed ones.

Interactions

Some important interactions exist between beta-blockers and other medications:

Withdrawal

If you stop taking a beta-blocker like carvedilol or metoprolol abruptly, you may experience serious side effects such as rebound hypertension, angina (chest pain), or increased risk of a heart attack, particularly if you have coronary artery disease.

If you need to stop taking carvedilol or metoprolol, you should be gradually tapered off the medication under your healthcare provider’s supervision.

Beta-blockers are not appropriate for everyone, and there are some groups of people who should be cautious when taking them.

Summary

Carvedilol and metoprolol are beta-blocker medications that have important indications for heart conditions. Both can lower your heart rate and make your heart work more efficiently. They have similar side effects, such as fatigue, dizziness upon standing, and shortness of breath.

The most important difference between the two medications is their selectivity, or which type of beta receptors they are likely to attach to. Carvedilol is non-selective, so it will affect both the heart and lungs, whereas cardioselective metoprolol is more likely to affect primarily the heart, with lesser lung effects. Those with asthma or other lung conditions are more likely suited for metoprolol over carvedilol.

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.FDA.Carvedilol prescribing information.LiverTox: clinical and research Information on drug-induced liver injury. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases;2012.Kaddoura R, Madurasinghe V, et al.Beta-blocker therapy in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (B-HFpEF): a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024;49(3):102376.FDA.Metoprolol tartrate prescribing information.Dransfield MT, Voelker H, et al. BLOCK COPD Trial Group.Metoprolol for the prevention of acute exacerbations of COPD.N Engl J Med. 2019;381(24):2304-2314.

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.FDA.Carvedilol prescribing information.LiverTox: clinical and research Information on drug-induced liver injury. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases;2012.Kaddoura R, Madurasinghe V, et al.Beta-blocker therapy in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (B-HFpEF): a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024;49(3):102376.FDA.Metoprolol tartrate prescribing information.Dransfield MT, Voelker H, et al. BLOCK COPD Trial Group.Metoprolol for the prevention of acute exacerbations of COPD.N Engl J Med. 2019;381(24):2304-2314.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

FDA.Carvedilol prescribing information.LiverTox: clinical and research Information on drug-induced liver injury. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases;2012.Kaddoura R, Madurasinghe V, et al.Beta-blocker therapy in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (B-HFpEF): a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024;49(3):102376.FDA.Metoprolol tartrate prescribing information.Dransfield MT, Voelker H, et al. BLOCK COPD Trial Group.Metoprolol for the prevention of acute exacerbations of COPD.N Engl J Med. 2019;381(24):2304-2314.

FDA.Carvedilol prescribing information.

LiverTox: clinical and research Information on drug-induced liver injury. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases;2012.

Kaddoura R, Madurasinghe V, et al.Beta-blocker therapy in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (B-HFpEF): a systematic review and meta-analysis.Curr Probl Cardiol. 2024;49(3):102376.

FDA.Metoprolol tartrate prescribing information.

Dransfield MT, Voelker H, et al. BLOCK COPD Trial Group.Metoprolol for the prevention of acute exacerbations of COPD.N Engl J Med. 2019;381(24):2304-2314.

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