Dilatrend

Drug name: Dilatrend

Other names used:

Carvedexxon®
Carvedilol®
Coreg®
Coreg CR®
Dimitone®
Eucardic®
Kredex®

Active Ingredients: Carvedilol

Therapeutic actions: Dilatrend is an alpha- and beta-blocker. It works by relaxing the blood vessels, slowing down the heart, and decreasing the amount of blood it pumps out. This decreases blood pressure, helps the heart pump more efficiently, and reduces the workload on the heart.

Indications: Dilatrend is used to treat heart failure (condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to all parts of the body) and high blood pressure. It also is used to treat people whose hearts cannot pump blood well as a result of a heart attack. Dilatrend is often used in combination with other medications.

Contraindications and cautions: Before taking carvedilol,

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have are allergic to carvedilol or any other medications.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, herbal products, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: cimetidine (Tagamet); clonidine (Catapres), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); digoxin (Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin); diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac); epinephrine (Epipen); fluoxetine (Prozac); insulin; oral medications for diabetes; monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar); paroxetine (Paxil); propafenone (Rythmol); quinidine; reserpine (Serpalan,); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); and verapamil (Calan, Covera-HS, Verelan). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had asthma or other breathing problems, a slow or irregular heartbeat, or liver disease. Your doctor may tell you not to take carvedilol.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had problems with blood flow in your feet or legs, Diabetes or any other condition that causes you to have low blood sugar, hyperthyroidism (condition in which there is too much thyroid hormone in the body), low blood pressure, Prinzmetal's angina (chest pain that comes at rest with no obvious cause), or pheochromocytoma (a tumor that develops on a gland near the kidneys and may cause high blood pressure and fast heartbeat). Also tell your doctor if you have ever had a serious allergic reaction to a food or any other substance.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking carvedilol, call your doctor.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking carvedilol.
you should know that this medication may make you feel tired, dizzy, or lightheaded, especially when you start taking carvedilol and when your dose is increased. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Be especially careful during the first hour after you take the medication.
do not drink any alcoholic drinks or take any prescription or nonprescription medications that contain alcohol for 2 hours before and 2 hours after you take carvedilol extended-release capsules. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not know if a medication that you plan to take contains alcohol.
you should know that carvedilol may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting, especially when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking carvedilol. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
if you wear contact lenses, your eyes may become dry during your treatment with carvedilol. Tell your doctor if this becomes bothersome.

Adverse effects: Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect. There are some common side effects associated with Dilatrend. It is important to tell the doctor if they occur and are worrying you. These include:

tiredness, drowsiness
dizziness and lightheadedness
abnormal or blurry vision
slow heart rate
diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting
bronchitis
high blood sugar
weight increase
fluid retention

These effects are usually mild and decrease with time. It is also important to tell the doctor if there is something else making you feel unwell, even if it is not listed above. There are several rare but important side effects that can be associated with Dilatrend. If these occur, you should tell your doctor immediately or present to the nearest Accident and Emergency hospital department, as urgent medical attention may be required. These include:

itching, dark urine, loss of appetite, yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice), or feeling 'flu-like' with no clear cause
difficulty breathing or swelling of the mouth or tongue
irregular heart beats
swelling of the feet or legs due to fluid retention
increased bleeding or bruising that occurs more easily than normal

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Interactions: It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.