Labetalol

Labetalol is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure. This medication belongs to a group of drugs called beta blockers. These work by relaxing blood vessels and slowing the heart rate to improve blood flow and decrease blood pressure.

Labetalol comes in tablet form to be taken by mouth. It is usually taken 2 or 3 times a day, with or without food.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of labetalol include nausea, tiredness, and stomach upset. Labetalol can also cause dizziness and drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how labetalol affects you.

Labetalol is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Labetalol may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Normodyne

• Trandate

Serious side effects have been reported with labetalol. see the "Labetalol Precautions" section.

Common side effects of labetalol include:

• dizziness
• nausea
• tiredness
• headache
• stuffy nose

This is not a complete list of labetalol side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamines, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• other medications for high blood pressure or heart disease
• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• nitroglycerin
• medications for asthma, headaches, allergies, colds, or pain
• vitamins

This is not a complete list of labetalol drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with labetalol, including the following:

• shortness of breath
• swelling of the feet and lower legs
• suddent weight gain
• chest pain

Labetalol can cause dizziness and drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how labetalol affects you.

Do not take labetalol if you:

• are allergic to labetalol or to any of its ingredients
• have bronchial asthma
• have overt cardiac failure
• have greater-than-first-degree heart block
• have cardiogenic shock
• have severely low heart rate
• have conditions associated with severe and prolonged low blood pressure

Beta-blockers, including labetalol, should not be used in patients with a history of obstructive airway disease, including asthma.

Do not stop taking labetalol without talking to your doctor first. If labetalol is stopped suddenly, it may cause chest pain or a heart attack in some people.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of labetalol, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking labetalol, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to labetalol or to any of its ingredients
• have or have had heart disease
• have or have had kidney disease
• have or have had liver disease
• have asthma or other lung disease
• have severe allergies
• have diabetes
• have pheochromocytoma
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription nad non-presctription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X - are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Labetalol falls into Category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some problems related to the pregnancy. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Labetalol has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from labetalol, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Take labetalol exactly as prescribed.

Trandate comes in tablet form to be taken by mouth. It is usually taken 2 or 3 times a day, with or without food.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein by a healthcare professional.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take 2 doses of Trandate at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your age
• your weight

The recommended starting dose of labetalol for high blood pressure is 100 mg 2 times daily. The dose is slowly increased based on individual response to the drug until the target blood pressure is reached. The usual maintenance dose of Trandate is 200 to 400 mg 2 times daily.

The recommended initial dose of labetalol injection for high blood pressure in hospitalized patients is 20 mg by slow injection over 2 minutes. Additional doses can be given at 10-minute intervals until the target blood pressure is reached.

Labetalol injection may also be administered by slow infusion into a vein. The effective dose for blood pressure control usually ranges from 50 to 200 mg.

The patient must remain lying down during the administration of labetalol injection.

If you take too much labetalol, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If labetalol is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store labetalol tablets between 2° and 30°C (36° and 86°F).
• Protect labetalol tablets from exposure to excessive moisture.
• Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.