• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

Actions

• Inhibits response to adrenergic stimuli by competitively blocking β₁-adrenergic receptors within the myocardium. Blocks β₂-adrenergic receptors within bronchial and vascular smooth muscle only in high doses (e.g., >100 mg daily).
• Decreases resting and exercise-stimulated heart rate and reflex orthostatic tachycardia by about 25–35%. Slows AV nodal conduction.
• No intrinsic sympathomimetic activity and little or no membrane-stabilizing effect on the heart.
• Reduces BP by decreasing cardiac output, suppressing renin release, and/or decreasing sympathetic outflow from the CNS.
• In patients with angina pectoris, blocks catecholamine-induced increases in heart rate, myocardial contractility, and BP, resulting in decreased myocardial oxygen consumption.
• Possibly increases oxygen requirements in patients with heart failure due to increased left ventricular fiber length and end diastolic pressure.
• Increases airway resistance (at doses >100 mg) in patients with asthma and/or COPD.
• Produces little or no changes in serum insulin concentrations, time to recovery from insulin-induced hypoglycemia, or free fatty acid response to hypoglycemia.

Advice to Patients

• Importance of taking medication exactly as prescribed.
• Importance of not interrupting or discontinuing therapy without consulting clinician.
• If a dose is missed, importance of patient taking only the next scheduled dose (i.e., the next dose should not be doubled).
• Importance of advising patients with coronary artery disease to temporarily limit their physical activity when discontinuing therapy.
• Importance of immediately informing clinician at the first sign or symptom of impending cardiac failure (e.g., weight gain, increased shortness of breath) or if any difficulty in breathing occurs.
• Importance of patients undergoing major surgery informing anesthesiologist or dentist they are receiving the drug.
• Importance of informing clinicians of existing or contemplated therapy, including prescription and OTC drugs.
• Importance of women informing clinicians if they are or plan to become pregnant or plan to breast-feed.
• Importance of clinician informing women who are or plan to become pregnant of risk to fetus.
• Importance of informing patient of other important precautionary information. (See Cautions.)

Preparations

Comparative Pricing

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

AHFS Drug Information. © Copyright, 1959-2008, Selected Revisions February 2008. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.

† Use is not currently included in the labeling approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

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.