Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat’s the Difference?How Do They Work?Who Should Avoid Using Metoprolol?Side EffectsInteractionsOff-Label Uses
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What’s the Difference?
How Do They Work?
Who Should Avoid Using Metoprolol?
Side Effects
Interactions
Off-Label Uses
Metoprololis a drug commonly used to lower high blood pressure and regulate heart rate. It controls the following:
It also decreases death from cardiovascular disease after a heart attack.
The differences between metoprolol tartrate and metoprolol succinate are the formulations.
Metoprolol tartrate is available as an immediate-release (Lopressor tablets) formulation and metoprolol succinate is available in an extended-release (Toprol XL tablets and Kapspargo sprinkle capsules) version. It belongs to a drug class known asbeta-blockers.
The following article will cover differences between the immediate-release and extended-release versions of Metoprolol, how they work, safety, and off-label uses.
Older adult taking blood pressure at home.Mariia Zotova / Getty Images
Mariia Zotova / Getty Images
What’s the Difference Between Metoprolol Tartrate and Metoprolol Succinate?
Your body wholly and rapidly absorbs metoprolol.
While metoprolol may be used to control heart rate and blood pressure, its formulations of tartrate and succinate are different.
Metoprolol succinatehas the following features:
Metoprolol tartratehas the following attributes:
Metoprolol tartrate and succinate have similar side effects. However, side effects vary from person to person.
Metoprolol belongs to a class of drugs known as beta-blockers. It affects the body’s response to certain nerve impulses.
Who Should Avoid Using Metoprolol Tartrate or Metoprolol Succinate?
Do not use metoprolol if you have specific health issues like the following:
You may also have to avoid metoprolol if you have
If you take metoprolol capsules extended release, do not consume alcohol or any medications containing alcohol.
What Are Possible Side Effects?
All drugs have side effects, including metoprolol. Some possible side effects of metoprolol include but are not limited to:
There have also been reports ofgangrenein people with severe peripheral circulatory disorders.
What Are Possible Interactions?
Certain drugs may affect how well metoprolol works.
Some may also worsen side effects like hypotension (shallow blood pressure) and bradycardia (very low heart rate).
Possibledrug interactions with metoprololinclude the following:
Note:To avoid rebound high blood pressure, if you receive clonidine and Lopressor simultaneously, it is essential to stop Lopressor several days before stopping clonidine.
Are There Off-Label Uses for Metoprolol Tartrate and Metoprolol Succinate?
Metoprolol can be used off-label for other conditions.
Metoprolol is commonly used off-label to treatsupraventricular tachycardia(irregularly fast heartbeat) andthyroid storm(an acute, life-threatening complication ofhyperthyroidism).
Abruptly stopping metoprolol can also make symptoms of hyperthyroidism worse or cause athyroid storm.
Please contact your healthcare provider for questions about your medicine and treatment.
Summary
You can control your blood pressure and heart rate using metoprolol tartrate or succinate. However, if you have heart failure, you may not be able to use metoprolol tartrate.
Please pay attention to your medicine and prescription when you pick it up from your pharmacy. Metoprolol succinate and metoprolol tartrate are not the same.
Ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist if you notice a change in how your pills look and/or a switch from tartrate to succinate or vice versa.
Frequently Asked QuestionsMetoprolol tartrate (Lopressor) is an immediate-release product. Metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL tablet or Kapspargo sprinkle capsule) is an extended-release product.Metoprolol succinate treats heart failure with symptoms, helping reduce mortality (death) and improve outcomes. Heart failure is not treated with metoprolol tartrate.Take metoprolol tartrate with food or following a meal, and take metoprolol succinate with or without food.Both metoprolol succinate and tartrate tablets are scored, so you can break them in half without affecting how well they work. Typically, extended-release drugs should not be broken in half. Metoprolol succinate tablet (Toprol XL) is one of the exceptions, as they are scored and can be broken in half. However, swallow the whole or half tablet and do not chew or crush it.If using the metoprolol succinate capsules (Kapspargo sprinkle), you can sprinkle the capsule’s contents in soft food like apple sauce, pudding, or yogurt and take it within 60 minutes of sprinkling. Please don’t store it for future use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Metoprolol tartrate (Lopressor) is an immediate-release product. Metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL tablet or Kapspargo sprinkle capsule) is an extended-release product.
Metoprolol succinate treats heart failure with symptoms, helping reduce mortality (death) and improve outcomes. Heart failure is not treated with metoprolol tartrate.
Take metoprolol tartrate with food or following a meal, and take metoprolol succinate with or without food.Both metoprolol succinate and tartrate tablets are scored, so you can break them in half without affecting how well they work. Typically, extended-release drugs should not be broken in half. Metoprolol succinate tablet (Toprol XL) is one of the exceptions, as they are scored and can be broken in half. However, swallow the whole or half tablet and do not chew or crush it.If using the metoprolol succinate capsules (Kapspargo sprinkle), you can sprinkle the capsule’s contents in soft food like apple sauce, pudding, or yogurt and take it within 60 minutes of sprinkling. Please don’t store it for future use.
Take metoprolol tartrate with food or following a meal, and take metoprolol succinate with or without food.
Both metoprolol succinate and tartrate tablets are scored, so you can break them in half without affecting how well they work. Typically, extended-release drugs should not be broken in half. Metoprolol succinate tablet (Toprol XL) is one of the exceptions, as they are scored and can be broken in half. However, swallow the whole or half tablet and do not chew or crush it.
If using the metoprolol succinate capsules (Kapspargo sprinkle), you can sprinkle the capsule’s contents in soft food like apple sauce, pudding, or yogurt and take it within 60 minutes of sprinkling. Please don’t store it for future use.
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.Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010Food and Drug Administration.Lopressor label.Hjalmarson A, Goldstein S, Fagerberg B, et al.Effects of controlled-release metoprolol on total mortality, hospitalizations, and well-being in patients with heart failure: the Metoprolol CR/XL Randomized Intervention Trial in congestive heart failure (MERIT-HF). MERIT-HF Study Group.JAMA. 2000;283(10):1295-1302. doi:10.1001/jama.283.10.1295Food and Drug Administration.Metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets label.Lakasing E, Mirza Z.Anxiety and depression in young adults and adolescents.Br J Gen Pract. 2020;70(691):56-57. Published 2020 Jan 30. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X707765
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.Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010Food and Drug Administration.Lopressor label.Hjalmarson A, Goldstein S, Fagerberg B, et al.Effects of controlled-release metoprolol on total mortality, hospitalizations, and well-being in patients with heart failure: the Metoprolol CR/XL Randomized Intervention Trial in congestive heart failure (MERIT-HF). MERIT-HF Study Group.JAMA. 2000;283(10):1295-1302. doi:10.1001/jama.283.10.1295Food and Drug Administration.Metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets label.Lakasing E, Mirza Z.Anxiety and depression in young adults and adolescents.Br J Gen Pract. 2020;70(691):56-57. Published 2020 Jan 30. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X707765
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.
Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010Food and Drug Administration.Lopressor label.Hjalmarson A, Goldstein S, Fagerberg B, et al.Effects of controlled-release metoprolol on total mortality, hospitalizations, and well-being in patients with heart failure: the Metoprolol CR/XL Randomized Intervention Trial in congestive heart failure (MERIT-HF). MERIT-HF Study Group.JAMA. 2000;283(10):1295-1302. doi:10.1001/jama.283.10.1295Food and Drug Administration.Metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets label.Lakasing E, Mirza Z.Anxiety and depression in young adults and adolescents.Br J Gen Pract. 2020;70(691):56-57. Published 2020 Jan 30. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X707765
Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
Food and Drug Administration.Lopressor label.
Hjalmarson A, Goldstein S, Fagerberg B, et al.Effects of controlled-release metoprolol on total mortality, hospitalizations, and well-being in patients with heart failure: the Metoprolol CR/XL Randomized Intervention Trial in congestive heart failure (MERIT-HF). MERIT-HF Study Group.JAMA. 2000;283(10):1295-1302. doi:10.1001/jama.283.10.1295
Food and Drug Administration.Metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets label.
Lakasing E, Mirza Z.Anxiety and depression in young adults and adolescents.Br J Gen Pract. 2020;70(691):56-57. Published 2020 Jan 30. doi:10.3399/bjgp20X707765
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