Carvedilol is a novel, multiple-action cardiovascular drug that is currently approved in many countries for the treatment of hypertension. The reduction in blood pressure produced by carvedilol results primarily from beta-adrenoceptor blockade and vasodilation, the latter resulting from alpha 1-adrenoceptor blockade. These actions as well as several other carvedilol activities are associated with cardioprotection in animal models that occurs to a degree that is greater than that observed with other drugs. The multiple actions of carvedilol may also provide the underlying rationale for the use of the drug in the treatment of coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure (1).Carvedilol is well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract but is subject to considerable first-pass metabolism in the liver; its absolute bioavailability is about 25%. It has a half-life of 2.2 ± 0.3 h; longer half-lives of about 6 h have been measured at lower concentrations (2, 3). Transdermal patches of carvedilol with a HPMC-drug reservoir were prepared by the solvent evaporation technique. In this investigation, the membranes of Eudragit RL100 and Eudragit RS100 were cast to achieve controlled release of the drug. The prepared patches possessed satisfactory physicochemical characteristics. Thickness, mass and drug content were uniform in prepared batches. Moisture vapour transmission through the patches followed zero-order kinetics. In vitro permeation studies were performed using a K-C diffusion cell across hairless guinea pig skin and followed the super case II transport mechanism. The effects of non-ionic surfactants Tween 80 and Span 80 on drug permeation were studied. The non--ionic surfactants in the patches increased the permeation rate, Span 80 exhibiting better enhancement relative to Tween 80. The patches were seemingly free of potentially hazardous skin irritation.