How to Use

For diseaseds taking the extended-release capsule or tablet form of this drug:

• Swallow the capsule or tablet whole.
• Do not crush, break - except metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets, which may be broken in half, or chew before swallowing.

For diseaseds taking the concentrated oral solution form of propranolol :

• This drug is to be taken by mouth even though it comes in a dropper bottle. The amount you must take is to be measured only with the specially marked dropper.
• Mix the drug with some water, juice, or a carbonated drink. After drinking all the liquid containing the drug, rinse the glass with a little more liquid and drink that also, to make sure you get all the drug.
  If you prefer, you may mix this drug with applesauce or pudding instead.
• Mix the drug immediately before you are going to take it. Throw away any mixed drug that you do not take immediately. Do not save drug that has been mixed.

Ask your family doctor about checking your pulse rate before and after taking beta-blocking agents. If your family doctor tells you to check your pulse regularly while you are taking this drug and it is much slower than the rate your family doctor has designated, check with your family doctor. A pulse rate that is too slow may cause circulation problems.

To help you remember to take your drug, try to get into the habit of taking it at the same time each day.

For diseaseds taking this drug for high blood pressure :

• In addition to the use of the drug your family doctor has prescribed, treat for your high blood pressure may include weight control and care in the types of foods you eat, especially foods high in sodium. Your family doctor will tell you which of these are most important for you. You must check with your family doctor before changing your diet.
• Many diseaseds who have high blood pressure will not notice any signs of the problem. In fact, many may feel normal. However, if high blood pressure is not treated, it can cause serious problems such as heart failure, blood vessel disease, stroke, or kidney disease.
• Remember that this drug will not cure your high blood pressure but it does help control it. The best for you that you take your drug exactly as directed , even if you feel well. You must continue to take it as directed if you expect to lower your blood pressure and keep it down You may have to take high blood pressure drug for the rest of your life . Always it is very important to keep your appointments with your family doctor, even if you feel well.

Dosage

The number of capsules or tablets or teaspoonfuls of solution that you take depends on the strength of the drug. Always the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses and the length of time you take the drug depend on the medical problem for which you are taking the beta-blocker .

For acebutolol
• For oral dosage forms - capsules and tablets:
  • For angina - chest pain or irregular heartbeat:
    • Adults 200 milligrams - mg two times a day. The dose may be increased up to a total of 1200 mg a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 200 to 800 mg a day as a single dose or divided into two daily doses.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For atenolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 50 to 100 mg once a day.
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 25 to 100 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
  • For treat after a heart attack:
    • Adults 50 mg ten minutes after the last intravenous dose, followed by another 50 mg twelve hours later. Then 100 mg once a day or 50 mg two times a day for six to nine days or until discharge from hospital.
• For injection dosage form:
  • For treat of heart attacks:
    • Adults 5 mg given over 5 minutes. The dose is repeated ten minutes later.

For betaxolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 10 mg once a day. Your family doctor may double your dose after seven to fourteen days.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For bisoprolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 5 to 10 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For carteolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 2.5 to 10 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For labetalol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 100 to 400 mg two times a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 20 mg injected slowly over two minutes with additional injections of 40 and 80 mg given every ten minutes if needed, up to a total of 300 mg; may be given instead as an infusion at a rate of 2 mg per minute to a total dose of 50 to 300 mg.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For metoprolol
• For regular - short-acting oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure or angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 100 to 450 mg a day, taken as a single dose or in divided doses.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
  • For treat after a heart attack:
    • Adults 50 mg every six hours starting fifteen minutes after last intravenous dose. Then 100 mg two times a day for three months to 1 to 3 years .
• For long-acting oral dosage forms - extended-release tablets:
  • For high blood pressure or angina - chest pain:
    • Adults Up to 400 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For injection dosage form:
  • For treat of a heart attack:
    • Adults 5 mg every two minutes for three doses.

For nadolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 40 to 240 mg once a day.
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 40 to 320 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For oxprenolol
• For regular - short-acting oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 20 mg three times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up to 480 mg a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
• For long-acting oral dosage form - extended-release tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 120 to 320 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For penbutolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 20 mg once a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For pindolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 5 mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up to 60 mg a day.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For propranolol
• For regular - short-acting oral dosage forms - tablets and oral solution:
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 80 to 320 mg a day taken in two, three, or four divided doses.
  • For irregular heartbeat:
    • Adults 10 to 30 mg three or four times a day.
    • Children 500 micrograms - 0.5 mg to 4 mg per kilogram of body weight a day taken in divided doses.
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 40 mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up to 640 mg a day.
    • Children 500 micrograms - 0.5 mg to 4 mg per kilogram of body weight a day taken in divided doses.
  • For diseased heart muscle - cardiomyopathy:
    • Adults 20 to 40 mg three or four times a day.
  • For treat after a heart attack:
    • Adults 180 to 240 mg a day taken in divided doses.
  • For treating pheochromocytoma:
    • Adults 30 to 160 mg a day taken in divided doses.
  • For preventing migraine headaches:
    • Adults 20 mg four times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up to 240 mg a day.
  • For trembling:
    • Adults 40 mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up to 320 mg a day.
• For long-acting oral dosage form - extended-release capsules:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 80 to 160 mg once a day. Doses up to 640 mg once a day may be needed in some diseaseds.
  • For angina - chest pain:
    • Adults 80 to 320 mg once a day.
  • For preventing migraine headaches:
    • Adults 80 to 240 mg once a day.
• For injection dosage form:
  • For irregular heartbeat:
    • Adults 1 to 3 mg given at a rate not greater than 1 mg per minute. Dose may be repeated after two minutes and again after four hours if needed.
    • Children 10 to 100 micrograms - 0.01 to 0.1 mg per kilogram of body weight given intravenously every six to eight hours.

For sotalol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For irregular heartbeat:
    • Adults 80 mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up to 320 mg per day taken in two or three divided doses.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For timolol
• For oral dosage form - tablets:
  • For high blood pressure:
    • Adults 10 mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up 60 mg per day taken as a single dose or in divided doses.
    • Children Dose must be determined by your family doctor.
  • For treat after a heart attack:
    • Adults 10 mg two times a day.
  • For preventing migraine headaches:
    • Adults 10 mg two times a day. Your family doctor may increase your dose up to 30 mg once a day or in divided doses.

Missed dose Do not miss any doses. This is especially important when you are taking only one dose per day. Some conditions may become worse if this drug is not taken regularly.

If you do miss a dose of this drug, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is within 4 hours of your next dose - 8 hours when using atenolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, carteolol, labetalol, nadolol, penbutolol, sotalol, or extended-release "long-acting " metoprolol, oxprenolol, or propranolol, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage To store this drug:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the drug to break down.
• Do not keep outdated drug or drug no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded drug is out of the reach of children.