Pindolol Description

Generic Name : PINDOLOL

Pronunciation : (pin' doe lole)

Trade Name(s) : Pinadol, Visken

Why it is prescribed: Pindolol is used to control high blood pressure and, investigationally, to prevent exercise and stress-induced chest pain.

When it is to be taken: Pindolol usually is taken two or three times a day. Follow the instructions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor to explain any part that you do not understand. It is important that you take this medication regularly; pindolol controls high blood pressure but does not cure it.

How it should be taken: Pindolol comes in tablet form. Your prescription label tells you how much to take at each dose.

Special Instruction :
1. Do not stop taking pindolol without consulting your doctor. Stopping the medication abruptly might make your condition worse.
2. Keep all appointments with your doctor so that your response to this drug can be checked. Your doctor may ask you to check your heart rate daily while taking this medication and will tell you how rapid it should be.
3. Ask your doctor to teach you how to take your pulse. If your pulse is slower than it should be, contact your doctor about taking the drug that day.
4. Special dietary instructions should be followed. Your doctor may prescribe a low-salt or low-sodium diet, tell you to stop smoking, and restrict your intake of alcohol.
5. If you forget to take a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it and take any remaining doses for that day at evenly spaced intervals. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Side Effects :
1. Dizziness: fatigue; weakness; sleeping difficulty; nervousness; hallucinations; cold hands and feet; nausea; diarrhea; vomiting; vision problems; burning eyes; muscle, leg, or joint pain or cramps; decreased sexual ability. Contact your doctor if these symptoms are severe or persist.
2. Shortness of breath, wheezing, difficulty breathing, slow or irregular pulse, swelling of feet and lower legs, sudden weight gain, chest pain, fainting. Contact your doctor immediately.

Other Precautions :
1. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should inform their doctors.
2. Before taking pindolol, tell your doctor if you have a history of bronchitis, emphysema, or other lung disease; heart disease; diabetes; thyroid problems; or liver disease.
3. Before you take pindolol, tell your doctor what prescription and nonprescription drugs you are taking, especially reserpine and medication for high blood pressure.
4. Before having surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking pindolol.
5. Do not allow anyone else to take this medication.

Storage Conditions :
1. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of the reach of children.
2. Store it at room temperature and away from light.