Dom-Carvedilol: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

What is Dom-CARVEDILOL used for?

Dom-CARVEDILOL is used to treat heart failure in adults.

How does Dom-CARVEDILOL work?

Dom-CARVEDILOL works by relaxing and widening your blood vessels. This makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body. This helps reduce your blood pressure and the strain on your heart.

What are the ingredients in Dom-CARVEDILOL?

Medicinal ingredient: carvedilol

Non-medicinal ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, crospovidone, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polydextrose, polyethylene glycol, povidone, titanium dioxide, and triethyl citrate.

Dom-CARVEDILOL comes in the following dosage forms:

Film-coated Tablet: 3.125 mg, 6.25 mg, 12.5 mg and 25 mg

Do not use Dom-CARVEDILOL if:

• Your doctor did not prescribe it for you
• You are allergic to carvedilol or any of the other ingredients in Dom-CARVEDILOL
• You have severe heart failure that requires you to be in the hospital for treatment
• You have asthma, wheezing, bronchitis or other breathing problems
• You have an abnormal heart beat and do not have a permanent pacemaker in place
• You have severe heart damage and your heart is not able to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs
• You have very low blood pressure
• You have a very slow heart beat
• You have heart valve problems (primary obstructive valvular disease)
• You have severe liver disease
• You have problems making decisions (for example, if you have dementia, alcohol or drug problems). Do not use Dom-CARVEDILOL unless you are being cared for by an appropriate caregiver.

• Have one of the following rare hereditary diseases:

  • Galactose intolerance
  • Lapp lactase deficiency
  • Glucose-galactose malabsorption
• If you are 18 years or younger

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take Dom-CARVEDILOL. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• Have a history of heart problems or disease
• Have or had kidney or liver problems
• Have low blood pressure
• Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
• Are breastfeeding
• Have diabetes. You could become less aware of the symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and you should monitor your blood sugar levels more carefully.
• Have thyroid problems
• Have Reynaud’s syndrome. Dom-CARVEDILOL may increase the symptoms of coldness and/or spasms in your hands and feet or cramping pains in the legs when exercising.
• Have psoriasis (scaly red patches on your skin)
• Have problems with blood flow to your feet and legs (peripheral artery disease). Dom-CARVEDILOL can make your symptoms worse.
• Have a condition called pheochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland)
• Have allergic reactions or allergies
• Are having a planned surgery and will be given an anesthetic
• Wear contact lenses. You may suffer from eye dryness while using Dom-CARVEDILOL.

Other warnings you should know about:

Pregnancy: Dom-CARVEDILOL is not usually recommended for use during pregnancy. Your doctor will consider the benefit to you versus the risk to your unborn baby.

Breastfeeding: Dom-CARVEDILOL can pass into breast milk. Do not use Dom-CARVEDILOL if you are breastfeeding.

Driving and using machines: Before doing tasks that require special attention, wait until you know how you respond to Dom-CARVEDILOL.

Do not drink alcohol while taking Dom-CARVEDILOL.

You should have regular eye exams while taking Dom-CARVEDILOL.

Tell your health professional if you notice that your heart failure symptoms are getting worse, like an increase in shortness of breath, tiredness, dizziness, or swelling of the ankles. This may occur when your dose is increased and may indicate that your dose needs to be changed.

Do not stop taking Dom-CARVEDILOL all of a sudden. Under the care of your healthcare professional, it should be stopped slowly over 2 weeks.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.

The following may interact with Dom-CARVEDILOL:

• Alcohol
• Antidepressants used in the treatment of depression and mood disorders
• Antidiabetic drugs including insulin and oral medications
• Blood pressure drugs such as clonidine
• Cyclosporine used after organ transplants
• Digoxin, a heart medication
• Drugs used to treat stomach acid or heartburn (such as cimetidine)
• Drugs used to treat hypertension and irregular heartbeat (such as diltiazem and verapamil)
• Fingolimod, a medicine used to treat multiple sclerosis
• Grapefruit juice
• MAO inhibitors such as selegiline (Parkinson’s Disease), tranylcypromine (depression)
• Nitroglycerin used to treat chest pain
• Rifampin used to treat tuberculosis
• Warfarin used to prevent blood clots

How to take Dom-CARVEDILOL:

Swallow the tablet whole with water. DO NOT chew, crush or break the tablet.

Take Dom-CARVEDILOL:

• exactly as prescribed
• every day
• twice a day, at about the same time every day

• with food

Usual adult dose:

Starting dose: 3.125 mg twice a day for 2 weeks

Maximum daily dose: 25 mg twice a day

Your doctor may start you on a different dose or change your dose over time depending on how Dom-CARVEDILOL works for you.

Do not stop taking Dom-CARVEDILOL without consulting your doctor. This can be dangerous.

Overdose:

Missed Dose:

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. You can take your next dose at the normal time, but do NOT take 2 doses within 6 hours of each other.

If you miss more than 2 doses of Dom-CARVEDILOL, contact your healthcare professional. Do NOT restart taking Dom-CARVEDILOL until you have spoken to your healthcare professional.

What are possible side effects from using Dom-CARVEDILOL?

These are not all possible side effects you may feel when taking Dom-CARVEDILOL. If you experience any side effects not listed here, contact your healthcare professional. Please also see Warnings and Precautions.

Side effects may include:

• headache
• trouble sleeping
• drowsiness
• weakness
• cough, stuffy and runny nose
• rash, itching
• abdominal pain, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, vomiting
• back pain

Serious side effects and what to do about them

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, talk to your healthcare professional.

Reporting Side Effects

Storage:

Keep your medication in a cool dry place away from direct heat or sunlight.

Keep out of reach and sight of children.

If you want more information about Dom-CARVEDILOL:

• Talk to your healthcare professional
• Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada website, (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca), or by calling the manufacturer at 1-800-550-6060.

Last Revised: September 1, 2016