The initial dose of Kerlone (betaxolol hydrochloride tablets) in hypertension is ordinarily 10 mg once daily either alone or added to diuretic therapy. The full antihypertensive effect is usually seen within 7 to 14 days. If the desired response is not achieved the dose can be doubled after 7 to 14 days. Increasing the dose beyond 20 mg has not been shown to produce a statistically significant additional antihypertensive effect; but the 40-mg dose has been studied and is well tolerated. An increased effect (reduction) on heart rate should be anticipated with increasing dosage. If monotherapy with Kerlone does not produce the desired response, the addition of a diuretic agent or other antihypertensive should be considered. The usual dose is one drop of BETOPTIC® (betaxolol hydrochloride) Eye Drops 0.5% or BETOPTIC S Eye Drops 0.25% in the affected eye(s) twice daily. In some patients, the intraocular pressure lowering response to BETOPTIC Eye Drops 0.5% or BETOPTIC S Eye Drops 0.25% may require a few weeks to stabilise. Clinical follow up should include a determination of the intraocular pressure during the first month of treatment with BETOPTIC Eye Drops 0.5% or BETOPTIC S Eye Drops 0.25%. Thereafter, intraocular pressure should be determined on an individual basis at the judgement of the physician.

Betaxolol (162 microM, 16.2 microM, and 1.62 microM) induced a significant increase in [Ca2+]i in cultured corneal endothelial cells