which drugs need to be tapered to avoid withdrawal or rebound symptoms

December 2008

Patients often don't know which drugs need to be tapered to avoid withdrawal or rebound symptoms.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach...but there are some general principles to keep in mind.

Abruptly stopping beta-blockers (metoprolol, etc) or clonidine can cause rebound hypertension. Taper most beta-blockers over 1 to 2 weeks...and clonidine over at least 2 to 4 days.

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