BETAXOLOL

• If you have chest pain (angina) or have heart disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, high blood pressure), do not stop using this drug without first consulting your doctor. Your condition may become worse when the drug is suddenly stopped.
• When gradually stopping this medication, it is recommended that you temporarily limit physical activity to decrease the work on the heart. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop: worsening chest pain, tightness/pressure in the chest, chest pain spreading to the jaw/neck/arm, sweating, trouble breathing, or fast/irregular heartbeat.

Common side effects:

Dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, headache, and shortness of breath may occur as your body adjusts to the medication. Trouble sleeping, decreased sexual ability, stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, sore throat, cold hands and feet, dry eyes, tingling, numbness, and weakness may also occur.

This drug may reduce blood flow to your hands and feet, causing them to feel cold. Smoking may worsen this effect. Avoid tobacco use and dress warmly.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: slow/irregular heartbeat, back pain, mental/mood changes (e.g., depression, hallucinations), trouble breathing, swelling of the ankles/feet/legs, joint pain, easy bruising/bleeding, increased thirst/urination, vision changes, slow wound healing, sweating, confusion, fainting, stomach/abdominal pain, blue fingers/toes/nails, finger/toe/leg cramps, unexplained sudden weight gain.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

Precautions

• Allergy: Before taking betaxolol, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other beta blockers (e.g., atenolol, metoprolol); or if you have any other allergies.
• Medical Conditions: Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: certain types of irregular heartbeats (e.g., sinus bradycardia, second- or third-degree atrioventricular block), a certain serious heart condition (cardiogenic shock), uncontrolled severe heart failure, a certain type of tumor (untreated pheochromocytoma).
• Medical History: Before taking this drug, tell your doctor if you have a history of: heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, breathing problems (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease-COPD), blood circulation problems (e.g., Raynaud’s disease), skin conditions (e.g., psoriasis), mental/mood disorders (e.g., depression), diabetes, glaucoma, certain muscle disease (myasthenia gravis), overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism).
• Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medication.
• If you have diabetes, this medication may mask the fast/pounding heartbeat you would usually feel when your blood sugar level falls too low (hypoglycemia). Other symptoms of a low blood sugar level such as dizziness or sweating are unaffected by this drug.
• Kidney function declines as you grow older. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, elderly people may be at a greater risk for slowed heartbeat while using this drug.

Pregnancy Risk:  Category C. This drug should be used only if clearly needed during pregnancy. Newborns whose mothers have taken this drug near the date of delivery may have problems such as low blood pressure, low heart rate and low birth weight, and may require special medical monitoring.

Breastfeeding:  This medication passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Interactions

• Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: calcium channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem, nifedipine, verapamil), epinephrine, fenoldopam, fingolimod, general anesthesia, other heart drugs (e.g., digoxin), other drugs to treat high blood pressure (e.g., clonidine, reserpine), St John’s wort, “water pills” (diuretics such as furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide).
• Check the labels on all your medicines (e.g., cough-and-cold products, diet aids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-NSAIDs such as ibuprofen for pain/fever reduction) because they may contain ingredients that could increase your blood pressure. Ask your pharmacist about the safe use of those products.

Overdose

If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include: fainting, severe weakness, very slow heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, sudden weight gain, sudden swelling, trouble breathing.

Notes: Do not share this medication with others.

Lifestyle changes such as starting a stress reduction program, stopping smoking, limiting alcohol, exercising, and making diet changes, may increase the effectiveness of this medication. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about lifestyle changes that might benefit you.

Have your blood pressure and pulse checked regularly while taking this medication. It may be best to learn how to monitor your own blood pressure and pulse. Discuss this with your doctor.

Missed Dose: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage: Store at room temperature between 59-77 degrees F (15-25 degrees C) away from moisture and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Brands:

Available Brands

• Betac [ Medochemie ]
• Betoptic [ Alcon ]
• Betoptic S [ Alcon ]
• Optibex [ Beximco ]

Also marketed as

• Kerlone [ sanofi-aventis ]
• Oxol [ Duopharma (M) Sdn Bhd ]