CLONIDINE (ORAL)

(KLOE ni deen) Brand: Catapres, Kapvay, Kapvay Doze Pack

What is the most significant information I must know about clonidine?

• Till you take clonidine, speak your doctor if you have heart malady or severe coronary artery malady, a heart rhythm mess, slow heartbeats, low blood pressure, a history of heart onslaught or stroke, kidney malady, or if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a clonidine transdermal skin patch (Catapres TTS).

• Do not take two forms of clonidine at the same time.

• If you need surgery, speak the surgeon onward of time that you are using clonidine. You may need to stop using the medication for a short time.

• Do not stop using clonidine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using clonidine.

• If you are being treated for tall blood pressure, keep using this medicine even if you feel well. Tall blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.

• Clonidine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

What is clonidine?

• Clonidine lowers blood pressure by decreasing the levels of determined chemicals in your blood. This allows your blood vessels to slackening and your heart to beat more slowly and easily.

• Clonidine is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). The Kapvay brand of clonidine is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity mess (ADHD).

• Clonidine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking clonidine?

• You must not take this medicine if you are allergic to clonidine.

• To create certain clonidine is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:

· heart malady or severe coronary artery disease;

· heart rhythm mess, slow heartbeats;

· low blood pressure;

· a history of heart onslaught or stroke;

· pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland);

· kidney malady; or

· if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a clonidine transdermal skin patch (Catapres TTS).

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether clonidine will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• Clonidine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. Do not take this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

• Do not give Kapvay to a baby younger than 6 years old.

How must I take clonidine?

• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.

• Do not take two forms of clonidine at the same time.

• Clonidine may be taken with or without food.

• Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just till you measure a doze. Measure the liquid with a particular dose-measuring spoon or medication cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

• Do not crush, chew, or interrupt an extended-release tablet. Swallow it intact.

• If you need surgery, speak the surgeon onward of time that you are using clonidine. You may need to stop using the medication for a short time.

• Do not stop using clonidine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using clonidine.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose symptoms may include tall blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath) followed by low blood pressure (feeling light-headed, fainting), cool feeling, shallow breathing, weakness, fainting, or pinpoint pupils.

What must I avoid while taking clonidine?

• Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercice and in hot weather.

• Drinking alcohol can magnify determined side effects of clonidine.

• Clonidine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

What are the possible side effects of clonidine?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have:

· quick or pounding heartbeats, tremors;

· a very slow heart course (fewer than 60 beats for minute);

· feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;

· swelling, rapid weight gain;

· confusion, hallucinations;

· flu symptoms;

· urination problems; or

· feeling like you might pass out.

• Another general side effects may include:

· drowsiness, dizziness;

· feeling weary or irritable;

· cool symptoms such as runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat;

· mood changes;

· sleep problems (insomnia), nightmares;

· headache, ear pain;

· mild fever;

· feeling hot;

· constipation, diarrhea, pain in your upper stomach;

· dry mouth, heighten thirst; or

· loss of interest in sex, impotence, difficulty having an orgasm.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect clonidine?

• Taking clonidine with another drugs that create you sleepy or slow your breathing can magnify these effects. Ask your doctor till taking clonidine with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medication, muscle relaxer, or medication for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

• Speak your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with clonidine, especially:

· clonidine transdermal skin patches (Catapres TTS);

· digoxin, digitalis;

· an antidepressant such as amitriptyline, clomipramine, doxepin, imipramine, nortriptyline, and others;

· a beta-blocker such as atenolol, carvedilol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, propranolol, sotalol, and others;

· heart or blood pressure medication such as amlodipine, diltiazem, nifedipine, verapamil, and others;

· medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine, clozapine, fluphenazine, haloperidol, olanzapine, perphenazine, prochlorperazine, risperidone, thiothixene, trifluoperazine, and others; or

· any another drugs to treat tall blood pressure or heart problems.

• This list is not complete. Another drugs may interact with clonidine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medicine manual.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about clonidine.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each 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 external 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 must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help 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.

(37)