Catapres: Uses, indications and precautions when using

This is an automatically translated article.

Catapres (also known as Clonidine) is an antihypertensive drug used to treat high blood pressure and prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems.

1. What is Catapres?

Catapres (Clonidine) belongs to a group of selective alpha2-adrenergic agonists with the mechanism of dilating blood vessels in the brain to make it easier for blood to flow, thereby lowering blood pressure.
Catapres is used alone or in combination with other medicines to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and to help prevent stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems.

2. How to use Catapres

Catapres can be taken with food, twice a day (in the morning and at bedtime) or as directed by your doctor. If the doses are not equal, take a larger dose at bedtime to reduce the risk of side effects.
Dosage of Catapres drug will be prescribed by your doctor depending on your health condition and ability to respond. Maintain medication at the correct dose and regularly to maximize its effectiveness, even after the condition has improved. Most people with high blood pressure will not feel sick.

3. Catapres side effects

When taking Catapres, in some cases patients may experience the following side effects:
Dizziness, lightheadedness Drowsiness Dry mouth Constipation To reduce the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly as needed. get up from a sitting or lying position. To relieve dry mouth, suck on hard candy (sugar-free) or shaved ice, chew gum (sugar-free), drink plenty of water. If you find any of these reactions persist or tend to get worse, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Sudden discontinuation of the drug can lead to problems such as: nervousness, agitation, headache, tremors, rapid increase in blood pressure. The risk is higher for patients who have used Catapres for a long time in high doses, or for patients who are taking beta-blockers (such as Atenolol).
Many reports also show some serious and potentially fatal reactions (such as stroke) if the drug is stopped too quickly. Therefore, do not miss any dose, keep taking it and talk to your doctor to reduce the dose gradually (if necessary).
If you experience any serious side effects such as: fainting, heart rhythm disturbances (slow/irregular heartbeat), mental/mood changes (such as irritability, depression), allergies (dizziness) , itchy face, difficulty breathing), seek medical help immediately.

4. Notes when using Catapres

Before taking Catapres, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have the following conditions:
Have a history of allergic reaction to the drug or any of its ingredients. Heart rhythm problems (eg, bradycardia/irregularity, 2nd or 3rd degree atrioventricular block), kidney disease. Catapres can cause dizziness and drowsiness in users. Do not drive or operate machinery while you are taking the medicine. Limit alcoholic beverages, stimulants, because they will make you more dizzy. If you are using marijuana or stimulants, tell your doctor. Before surgery, talk to your doctor or dentist about your medications. People who wear contact lenses may need to use wetting eye drops because Catapres can cause dry eyes. Older adults may react more sensitively to the side effects of the drug, especially dizziness and drowsiness. Catapres should only be used when absolutely necessary for pregnant women. Discuss the benefits and risks of the medication with your doctor in advance. Catapres can pass into breast milk and cause unwanted effects on your baby, consult your doctor before taking. ECG and blood pressure should be checked regularly to monitor the effectiveness of medication or check for side effects. Making healthy lifestyle changes such as reducing stress, exercising regularly, and eating healthy can increase the effectiveness of Catapres.

When using Catapres with caution if you are taking Catapres with other drugs that also cause drowsiness such as: antihistamines (Cetirizine, Diphenhydramine), sleeping pills or treatment for anxiety (such as Alprazolam, Diazepam, Zolpidem), muscle relaxants and Opioid pain relievers (such as Codeine).
Check the labels on all medicines you are taking (especially those for allergies or coughs and colds) as they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Some cough and cold products, diet aids or NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen may have ingredients that increase blood pressure and heart rate of people taking Catapres medicine. So talk to your doctor about any medications you're taking and ask them how to combine them safely.
In case of an overdose of Catapres leading to overdose symptoms such as: dizziness, severe drowsiness (narcolepsy), fainting, irregular heartbeat, slow breathing, convulsions... 911 or go to the nearest medical facility.
If you forget to take a dose of Catapres, you should take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the scheduled time. Be careful not to take twice the recommended dose.
If you miss 2 or more doses in a row, contact your doctor immediately.

5. Storing Catapres

Store at room temperature away from light or moisture. Keep medicine out of reach of children and range of pets. Patients need to use Catapres medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor. When experiencing abnormal signs, the patient should immediately report to the doctor for timely intervention and treatment to avoid the risk of complications.
Above are important information about Catapres that patients need to pay attention to when using. Taking the medicine exactly as directed always brings positive results in the treatment of the disease.
Vinmec International General Hospital is currently a high-quality medical care address, when fully converging pharmacists, doctors, experts with many years of experience trained in domestic and foreign environments. Therefore, if customers are having any health problems, they can contact the hospital website for the most dedicated advice.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: webmd.com