Labetalol

Description

Labetalol is an antihypertensive medication which is used to lower the blood pressure and also used in the treatment of heart failure. This medicine is not recommended for children and in patients with diabetes and lung disease.

Side effects

Major & minor side effects for Labetalol

  • Blurred vision
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Dizziness
  • Cold sweats
  • Nausea and Vomiting
  • Acid or sour stomach
  • Headache
  • Decreased interest in sexual intercourse
  • Stomach pain
  • Loss of strength

Uses of Labetalol

What is it prescribed for?

  • Hypertension
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Concerns

Commonly asked questions

  • Onset of action
    The effect of this medicine can be observed in 20 to 120 minutes after an oral dose and 2 to 3 minutes after an intravenous dose.
  • Duration of effect
    The 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.
  • Usage while breast-feeding?
    This medicine is known to excreted in breast milk. It is recommended in breastfeeding women only if necessary. The risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.

Allergy

Not recommended in patients with known allergy to Labetalol or other beta blockers.

Asthma

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

Not recommended in patients with 2nd or 3rd degree AV block.

Sinus Bradycardia

Not recommended in the patients with the condition like Sinus Bradycardia.
Warnings for special population

Pregnancy

This medicine is not recommended for pregnant women.

Breast-feeding

This medicine is known to excreted in breast milk. It is recommended in breastfeeding women only if necessary. The risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine.
General warnings

Major surgery

Labetalol 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

Labetalol 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

Labetalol 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

Labetalol 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.

Pediatric use

This medication should not be administered in children.

Missed Dose

The missed dose should be taken as soon possible. It is advisable to skip the missed dose if it's already time for your next scheduled dose.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical treatment or contact the doctor in case of 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 Labetalol 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

Beta-2 adrenergic bronchodilators

Disease interactions

Asthma

Labetalol 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

Labetalol 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.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Labetalol as advised by the doctor. Do not take in larger amounts than prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting your doctor. Inform the doctor if you are a diabetic patient or having any lung disease.
Miscelleneous

To be taken with food

To be taken as instructed by doctor

Does not cause sleepiness

How it works
It works by reducing the blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels and also by slowing the heart rate.
Legal Status

Approved

Approved

Approved

Approved

Classification

Category

Non-cardioselective beta blockers

Schedule

Schedule H

[Internet]. 2017 [cited 26 May 2017]. Available from:

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/33409

DailyMed - Labetalol hydrochloride tablet, film coated [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 26 May 2017]. Available from:

https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=56ab2ff4-14a6-4297-afd8-56b92e1f64a0

Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database [Internet]. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 2017 [cited 26 May 2017]. Available from:

https://www.tga.gov.au/prescribing-medicines-pregnancy-database#searchname

[Internet]. Toxnet.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 26 May 2017]. Available from:

https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~wMa9FY:1

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Information on this page was last updated on 8 Jan 2018

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.