Pindolol - en betablockerare

About pindolol

Pindolol belongs to the group of medicines referred to as beta-blockers. It is a medicine which works on the heart and blood vessels.

Beta-blockers slow down the activity of your heart by stopping messages sent by some nerves to your heart. They do this by blocking tiny areas (called beta-adrenergic receptors) where the messages are received by your heart. As a result, your heart beats more slowly and with less force. This allows the pressure of blood within your blood vessels to be reduced if you have högt blodtryck (hypertoni), and because your heart is using less energy, it helps to reduce chest pain if you have angina.

For the treatment of high blood pressure, pindolol can be prescribed as a treatment on its own, or alongside a 'water' tablet (diuretic).

Before taking pindolol

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking pindolol it is important that your doctor knows:

• Om du är gravid eller ammar.

• Om du har astma eller någon annan andningsstörning.

• Om du har några problem med hur dina njurar fungerar.

• Om du har lågt blodtryck eller dålig cirkulation.

• If you have diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

• Om du har ett hudproblem som kallas psoriasis.

• Om du har ett tillstånd som orsakar muskelsvaghet, kallat myasthenia gravis.

• If you have been told you have a slow heartbeat, heart failure, or heart block (a slow and irregular heartbeat).

• Om du har fått veta att du har bröstsmärtor orsakade av spasmer i hjärtats blodkärl, kallad Prinzmetals angina.

• Om du tar några andra läkemedel. Detta inkluderar alla läkemedel du tar som finns att köpa utan recept, samt växtbaserade och komplementära läkemedel.

• Om du någonsin har haft en allergisk reaktion mot ett läkemedel, eller om du någonsin har haft någon annan allvarlig allergisk reaktion.

How to take pindolol

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about pindolol and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take pindolol exactly as your doctor tells you to - the directions will be printed on the label of the pack of tablets to remind you about what the doctor said. You may be asked to take one, two, or three doses each day.

• Your doctor may prescribe you a small dose initially, such as 2.5-5 mg, up to three times a day. As this may mean taking half a tablet, the tablets are scored so that they can be divided into two. If necessary, your doctor will increase your dose slowly over the following few weeks.

• You can take the tablets either before or after meals, but try to take your doses at the same time of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take pindolol regularly.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember (unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case leave out the missed dose). Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

Få ut det mesta av din behandling

• Försök att hålla dina regelbundna möten med din läkare. Detta är så att din läkare kan följa upp din utveckling.

• Treatment with pindolol is usually long-term. Continue to take the tablets unless your doctor tells you to stop. Stopping treatment suddenly can cause problems in some people, so your doctor may want you to reduce your dose gradually if this becomes necessary.

• Om du ska genomgå en operation eller tandbehandling är det viktigt att informera den som utför behandlingen att du tar en betablockerare. Detta är särskilt viktigt om du sannolikt kommer att få en bedövning.

• If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor for advice about taking pindolol and alcohol. Alcohol will add to the blood pressure-lowering effect of pindolol which will make you feel dizzy and so may not be recommended for you.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take with pindolol. Some medicines may not be (including some anti-inflammatory painkillers, and cold or flu remedies).

• Din läkare kan ge dig kost- och livsstilsråd om att äta en hälsosam kost, inte röka och motionera regelbundet. Om så är fallet är det viktigt att du följer de råd du får.

• If you have diabetes, pindolol can block the symptoms of low blood sugar. Your doctor will advise you about this.

Can pindolol cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with pindolol. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Om du upplever några andra symtom som du tror kan bero på tabletterna, tala med din läkare eller apotekare för vidare råd.

How to store pindolol

• Förvara alla läkemedel utom räckhåll och synhåll för barn.

• Förvara på en sval, torr plats, borta från direkt värme och ljus.

Viktig information om alla läkemedel