Use in adults:Initial dosage: Usually 250 mg two or three times a day, for two days. Adjustment: Usually adjusted at intervals of not less than two days, until an adequate response is obtained. The maximum recommended daily dosage is 3 g. Many patients experience sedation for two or three days when therapy with 'Aldomet' is started or when the dose is increased. When increasing the dosage, therefore, it may be desirable to increase the evening dose first. Withdrawal of 'Aldomet' is followed by return of hypertension, usually within 48 hours. This is not complicated generally by an overshoot of blood pressure.Patients with renal impairment:Methyldopa is largely excreted by the kidney, and patients with impaired renal function may respond to smaller doses.Other antihypertensives:Therapy with 'Aldomet' may be initiated in most patients already on treatment with other antihypertensive agents by terminating these antihypertensive medications gradually, as required. Following such previous antihypertensive therapy, 'Aldomet' should be limited to an initial dose of not more than 500 mg daily and increased as required at intervals of not less than two days. When methyldopa is given to patients on other antihypertensives the dose of these agents may need to be adjusted to effect a smooth transition.When 500 mg of 'Aldomet' is added to 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide, the two agents may be given together once daily.Paediatric population: initial dosage is based on 10 mg/kg of bodyweight daily in 2-4 oral doses. The daily dosage is then increased or decreased until an adequate response is achieved. The maximum dosage is 65 mg/kg or 3.0 g daily, whichever is less.

Contraindications: 'Aldomet' is contra-indicated in patients with:• active hepatic disease, such as acute hepatitis and active cirrhosis.• hypersensitivity to the active substance (including hepatic disorders associated with previous methyldopa therapy), or to any of the excipients listed.• depression.• on therapy with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).• with a catecholamine-secreting tumour such as phaeochromocytoma or paraganglioma.• with porphyria.

Not avaiable