Pindolol - a beta-blocker

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 presión arterial alta (hipertensión), 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).

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:

• Si estás embarazada o amamantando.

• Si tienes asma u otro trastorno respiratorio.

• Si tienes algún problema con el funcionamiento de tus riñones.

• Si tienes presión arterial baja o mala circulación.

• Si tienes diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

• Si tienes un problema de piel llamado psoriasis.

• Si tienes una condición que causa debilidad muscular, llamada miastenia gravis.

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

• Si le han dicho que tiene dolor en el pecho causado por espasmos en los vasos sanguíneos del corazón, llamado angina de Prinzmetal.

• Si está tomando otros medicamentos. Esto incluye cualquier medicamento que esté tomando y que esté disponible para comprar sin receta, así como medicamentos herbales y complementarios.

• Si alguna vez ha tenido una reacción alérgica a un medicamento, o si ha tenido alguna otra reacción alérgica grave.

• 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.

• Si olvida tomar una dosis, tómela tan pronto como lo recuerde (a menos que esté cerca la hora de su próxima dosis, en cuyo caso omita la dosis olvidada). No tome dos dosis juntas para compensar una dosis olvidada.

• Intenta mantener tus citas regulares con tu médico. Esto es para que tu médico pueda verificar tu progreso.

• 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.

• Si va a someterse a una operación o tratamiento dental, es importante informar a la persona que realiza el procedimiento que está tomando un betabloqueante. Esto es especialmente importante si es probable que le administren anestesia.

• 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).

• Your doctor may give you dietary and lifestyle advice about eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and taking regular exercise. If so, it is important that you follow the advice you are given.

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

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.

Si experimenta cualquier otro síntoma que crea que puede deberse a las tabletas, hable con su médico o farmacéutico para obtener más consejos.

• Mantenga todos los medicamentos fuera del alcance y la vista de los niños.

• Almacenar en un lugar fresco y seco, lejos del calor y la luz directos.