betaxolol

(beh TACK so lall)
Kerlone

What is the most important information I should know about betaxolol?

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Do not stop taking betaxolol suddenly without first talking to your doctor. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse.

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Call your doctor immediately if you experience shortness of breath.

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Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Betaxolol may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities.

What is betaxolol?

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Betaxolol is in a class of drugs called beta-blockers. Beta-blockers affect the heart and circulatory system (arteries and veins).

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Betaxolol is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).

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Betaxolol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking betaxolol?

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Before taking betaxolol, tell your doctor if you have

asthma;

a heart condition such as low blood pressure, a slow heart rate, heart block, sick sinus syndrome, heart failure, or any condition for which you use a pacemaker;

diabetes;

thyroid disease;

kidney disease;

liver disease; or

any type of circulatory disease

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You may not be able to take betaxolol, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

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Betaxolol is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means it is not known whether betaxolol will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.

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Betaxolol passes into breast milk. It is not known whether this medication will affect a nursing infant. Do not take betaxolol without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take betaxolol?

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Take betaxolol exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.

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Betaxolol is usually taken once a day. Take betaxolol at the same time everyday whenever possible. Follow your doctor's instructions.

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Betaxolol can be taken with or without food.

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Do not stop taking betaxolol suddenly without first talking to your doctor. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse.

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It is important to take betaxolol regularly to get the most benefit.

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Your doctor may want you to have blood pressure monitoring or other medical evaluations during treatment with betaxolol to monitor progress and side effects.

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Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

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Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

What happens if I overdose?

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Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.

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Symptoms of a betaxolol overdose are not well known, but are expected to include a slow heartbeat, wheezing, shortness of breath, fainting, dizziness, weakness, and confusion.

What should I avoid while taking betaxolol?

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Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Betaxolol may cause drowsiness, dizziness, and blood pressure changes. If you experience drowsiness or dizziness, avoid these activities.

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Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while taking betaxolol.

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Tell your doctor and dentist that you are taking betaxolol before having surgery.

What are the possible side effects of betaxolol?

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If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking betaxolol and contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment:

an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; hives);

wheezing or shortness of breath;

chest (heart) pain;

an unusually slow or irregular heartbeat;

sudden weight gain (more than 2 pounds in one day or 5 pounds in one week);

swelling of the feet and/or lower legs;

leg pain or cramping;

cold or numb feet and hands; or

a rash.

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If you experience any of the following less serious side effects, continue taking betaxolol and talk to your doctor:

fatigue or confusion;

headache or dizziness;

weak pulse or mildly slow heart rate;

insomnia;

diarrhea; or

backache.

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Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect betaxolol?

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Before taking betaxolol, tell your doctor if you are taking

a heart medication such as nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), reserpine (Serpasil), verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor XR), clonidine (Catapres), digoxin (Lanoxin), doxazosin (Cardura), guanadrel (Hylorel), prazosin (Minipress), or terazosin (Hytrin);

a diabetes medication such as insulin, glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase, Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), or metformin (Glucophage);

a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, others), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail), and others;

a respiratory medication such as albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil, Volmax, others), bitolterol (Tornalate), metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel), pirbuterol (Maxair), terbutaline (Brethaire, Brethine, Bricanyl), or theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theochron, Theolair, others), and others;

the stomach medication cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB); or

prescription or over-the-counter cough medicines, cold medicines, or diet pills.

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Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with betaxolol or affect your condition. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.

Where can I get more information?

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Your pharmacist has additional information about betaxolol written for health professionals that you may read.

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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.