Carvedilol
Description
Carvedilol is an antihypertensive medication which is used to lower the blood pressure and also used to treat heart failure. This medicine is not recommended for children and in patients with diabetes and lung disease.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Carvedilol
- Dizziness
- Difficulty in breathing
- Weight gain
- Swelling of ankles or feet
- Cough
- Headache
- Increased sweating
- Back pain
- Diarrhea
- Unusual tiredness and weakness
- Loss of strength
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Cold hands or feet
Uses of Carvedilol
What is it prescribed for?
- Hypertension
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Left Ventricular Dysfunction
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe peak effect of this medicine can be observed in 1 to 2 hours.
- Duration of effectThe effect of this medicine can last for an average duration of 24 hours.
- Safe with alcohol?Consumption of alcohol with this medicine may lower the blood pressure and may cause symptoms like dizziness, headache, change in pulse or heart rate. The patient should be counseled about these effects and advised not to perform activities that require mental alertness like driving or operating machinery.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendencies were reported.
- Usage in pregnancy?This medicine is not recommended for pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. The potential benefits and risks should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?This medicine is not recommended in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. The potential benefits and risks should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.
Allergy
Not recommended in the patients with known allergy to Carvedilol or other beta blockers.
Lung disease
Carvedilol is not recommended in the patients with known history of lung diseases like asthma, bronchospasm and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Heart block greater than first degree
Carvedilol is not recommended in patients with 2nd or 3rd degree AV block.
Sinus Bradycardia
Carvedilol is not recommended in the patients with bradycardia.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. The potential benefits and risks should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. The potential benefits and risks should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.
General warnings
Heart Failure
Carvedilol can cause heart failure and reduced flow of blood to the especially in people having a heart disease. Suitable dose adjustment and safety monitoring might be required based on the severity of the disease.
Major surgery
Carvedilol is given with caution in the patients who are scheduled for a major surgery. An anesthetic agent with little negative inotropic activity should be selected to minimize the effect on the heart.
Lung Disease
Carvedilol should be used with caution in the patients with lung disease who do not respond to other antihypertensives. Start with the lowest possible dose and increase the dose based on the clinical condition.
Diabetes
Carvedilol should be administered with caution in patients with diabetes. It may mask the hypoglycemic symptoms. Regular monitoring of blood glucose levels is necessary. An alternate medicine should be considered based on the clinical condition.
Sports
It is advised to not indulge in certain sports while consuming this medicine. Archery, racing, shooting and other high-risk sports should be avoided. Sportspersons should refer to the list of banned medicines published by World Anti-Doping Agency while participating in specific sports events.
Hyperthyroidism
Carvedilol should be administered with caution in patients with increased thyroid levels. Abrupt withdrawal of this medicine may lead to a life-threatening condition called thyroid-storm. Frequent monitoring of thyroid levels is necessary. An alternate medicine should be considered based on the clinical condition.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Carvedilol, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical treatment or contact the doctor in case of an overdose.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Consumption of alcohol while taking Carvedilol may cause an additional lowering of the blood pressure. This may result in severe complication over time.
Instructions
Consumption of alcohol with this medicine may lower the blood pressure and may cause symptoms like dizziness, headache, change in pulse or heart rate. The patient should be counseled about these effects and advised not to perform activities that require mental alertness like driving or operating machinery.
Interaction with Medicine
Corticosteroids
Antidiabetic medicines
Verapamil
Beta-2 adrenergic bronchodilators
Disease interactions
Asthma
Carvedilol should not be used in patients suffering from bronchial asthma or any other lung diseases. Inform the doctor if you had any history of lung diseases or family history of lung disease. Dose adjustments or an alternate medicine should be considered based on the clinical condition.
Bradyarrhythmia/AV Block
Carvedilol or other beta blockers are not recommended in the patients with Sinus Bradyarrhythmia or heart block greater than the first degree. Inform the doctor if you have any heart diseases or family history of heart diseases. An alternate medicine should be considered based on the clinical condition.
Glaucoma
Carvedilol should be administered with caution in a patient suffering from Glaucoma. It may further lower the pressure in the eye.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Carvedilol should be taken with food. Do not take in larger amounts than advised. Consult the doctor if you experience any undesirable effects.
Miscelleneous
How it works
It works by reducing the blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels and also by slowing the heart rate.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Non-cardioselective beta blockers
Schedule
Schedule H
[Internet]. 2017 [cited 19 April 2017]. Available from:
Carvedilol: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 19 April 2017]. Available from:
DailyMed - Carvedilol tablet, coated [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 19 April 2017]. Available from:
Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database [Internet]. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 2017 [cited 19 April 2017]. Available from:
Toxnet.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 19 April 2017]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 16 Nov 2017
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.