Catapresan belongs to the general class of medicines called antihypertensives. It is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
High blood pressure adds to the work load of the heart and arteries. If it continues for a long time, the heart and arteries may not function properly. This can damage the blood vessels of the brain, heart, and kidneys, resulting in a stroke, heart failure, or kidney failure. Hypertension may also increase the risk of heart attacks. These problems may be less likely to occur if blood pressure is controlled.
Catapresan works by controlling nerve impulses along certain nerve pathways. As a result, it relaxes blood vessels so that blood passes through them more easily. This helps to lower blood pressure.
Catapresan may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Special precautions
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For Catapresan , the following should be considered:
Allergies - tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to Catapresan . Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substance, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy - Catapresan has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that Catapresan causes harmful effects in the fetus, but not birth defects.
Breast-feeding - although Catapresan passes into breast milk, it has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.
Children - Children may be more sensitive than adults to Catapresan . Catapresan overdose has been reported when children accidentally took this medicine.
Older adults - Dizziness or faintness may be more likely to occur in the elderly, who are more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of Catapresan .
Other medicines - although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary.
Other medical problems - the presence of other medical problems may affect the use of Catapresan . Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Heart or blood vessel disease - Catapresan may make these conditions worse
- Irritated or scraped skin (with transdermal system [skin patch] only) - The effects of Catapresan may be increased if the skin patch is placed on an area of scraped or irritated skin because more medicine is absorbed into the body
- Kidney disease - Effects of Catapresan may be increased because of slower removal of Catapresan from the body
- Mental depression (history of) or
- Raynaud's syndrome - Catapresan may make these conditions worse
- Polyarteritis nodosa or
- Scleroderma or
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (with transdermal system [skin patch] only) - Effects of Catapresan may be decreased because absorption of this medicine into the body is blocked
Side effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
- Signs and symptoms of overdose
- Difficulty in breathing; dizziness (extreme) or faintness; feeling cold; pinpoint pupils of eyes; slow heartbeat; unusual tiredness or weakness (extreme)
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
- More common--with transdermal system (skin patch) only
- Itching or redness of skin
- Less common
- Mental depression; swelling of feet and lower legs
- Rare
- Paleness or cold feeling in fingertips and toes; vivid dreams or nightmares
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
- More common
- Constipation; dizziness; drowsiness; dryness of mouth; unusual tiredness or weakness
- Less common
- Darkening of skin - with transdermal system (skin patch) only; decreased sexual ability; dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position; dry, itching, or burning eyes; loss of appetite; nausea or vomiting; nervousness
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, clonidine is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:
- Migraine headache
- Symptoms associated with menopause or menstrual discomfort
- Symptoms of withdrawal associated with alcohol, nicotine, or narcotics
- Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Do not let anyone else take your medication.
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