Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP
ABOUT THIS MEDICATION
What the medication is used for:
Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP is used alone or in combination with another medicine for the following conditions:
- to help to protect the heart after a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
What it does:
Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP is a beta-blocker. It helps to control high blood pressure or other heart-related problems.
When it should not be used:
You should not be treated with Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP if you:
- are allergic to metoprolol, to any of the other ingredients in Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP or to another beta blocker.
- have breathlessness, difficulty breathing when lying down, swelling of the feet or legs (signs of a heart disorder).
- have a slow or irregular heartbeat.
- have sudden and oppressive chest pain (sign of heart attack).
- have very poor blood circulation in your limbs (for example, very cold, pale hands or feet, or pain in your leg muscles when you walk).
- have low blood pressure
- have non-treated tumor of the medulla of the adrenal glands (pheochromocytoma)
- have asthma or had history of difficulty breathing with wheezing or coughing.
- have severe skin problems
- suffer from severe drop in blood pressure, dizziness, fast heartbeat, rapid and shallow breathing, cold clammy skin (signs of a heart disorder named cardiogenic shock).
What the medicinal ingredient is:
metoprolol tartrate
What the nonmedicinal ingredients are:
Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP vials contain: nitrogen,
sodium chloride and water for injection
What dosage forms it comes in:
Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP is available as a 1mg/mL solution in single use vials.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
BEFORE you use Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you:
- have heart, liver or kidney disease
- have high or low levels of sugar in the blood (diabetes)
- are at risk for serious allergic reactions
- have chest pain when you are at rest.
- have poor blood circulation in your limbs (for example, very cold, pale hands or feet, or pain in your leg muscles when you walk).
- have a tumor of the medulla or of the adrenal glands (pheochromocytoma), you would require an additional treatment to Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP
- have an overactive thyroid gland.
- have respiratory disease such as asthma, or sometimes get breathlessness and wheezing.
- have a severe syndrome named oculomucocutaneous syndrome whose signs include severe conjunctivitis (red, irritated and watery eye), skin rash and ear infection
are pregnant, or intend to become pregnant. Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP should not be used during pregnancy. Your doctor will discuss with you the potential risks of taking Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP during pregnancy.
- are breast feeding. If your doctor decides that you must continue to take Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP you should stop breast-feeding as metoprolol tartrate passes into breast milk.
- are under 18 years old.
If you need to undergo an operation where an anesthetic is used, tell your anesthetic professional that you are taking Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP.
Driving and using machines: If you experience dizziness, tiredness or blurred vision during your treatment with
Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP, do not drive, use machinery, or perform other tasks that need full attention until you know how you respond to Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP. Drinking alcohol may increase tiredness.
INTERACTIONS WITH THIS MEDICATION
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including herbal and non- prescription medicines. Some other medicines may interact with Metoprolol Tartrate Injection USP. These include:
- medicines used to treat high blood pressure
- medicines used to treat chest pain (angina) (e.g. nitroglycerin),
- medicines used to treat irregular heartbeat (e.g. amiodarone, propafenone, quinidine, disopyramidetocainide, procainamide, ajmalineamiodarone, flecainide, digitalis glycosides such as digoxin, lidocaine),
- anaesthetics, medicines used during surgical operations,
- adrenaline or similar substances (sympathomimetics) which are found in some eye and nose drops, and in some cough medicines or remedies for the common cold (e.g. noradrenaline, isoprenaline, ephedrine, phenylephrine, phenylpropanolamine, and xanthine derivatives),
- insulin, or medicines used to treat high levels of sugar in the blood (diabetes),
- medicines used to relieve pain or inflammation (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as COX-2 inhibitors),
- antibiotics (e.g. rifampicin),
- antivirals (e.g. ritonavir),
- antihistamines used to treat hay fever (e.g. diphenhydramine),
- medicines used to treat malaria (e.g. hydroxychloroquine or quinine),
- antipsychotic medicines (e.g. thioridazine, , chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, haloperidol),
- antidepressants (e.g. fluoxetine, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, clomipramine, desipramine or bupropion),
- MOA Inhibitors and adrenergic neuron blockers (e.g. reserpine or guanethidine),
- antifungals (e.g. terbinafine),
- ergot alkaloids, used in the prevention and treatment of migraine headaches,
- dipyridamole, used to reduce the risk of blood clots,
- alcohol.
- fingolimod, a medicine used to treat multiple sclerosis
- Aldesleukin, a medicine used to treat kidney cancer, or other medicines that may cause a decrease in blood pressure
PROPER USE OF THIS MEDICATION
Usual dose:
Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP is used for the emergency treatment of heart attacks. It is only used by an experienced health care provider under circumstances where resuscitation and monitoring equipment is available.
Overdose:
Some of the effects of an overdose of Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP are: an abnormally slow heartbeat or an irregular heartbeat, very low blood pressure, breathlessness, difficulty breathing when lying down, swelling of the feet, loss of consciousness, blue discoloration of the lips, tongue, skin, seizures, nausea and vomiting, sudden and oppressive chest pain and death.
SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
Like other medications, Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP may cause some side effects. These side effects may be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical attention.
Side effects may include: sleep disturbance, fatigue and tiredness especially with activity, headache, dry mouth, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea or constipation and abdominal pain, numbness, a tingling sensation in the extremities signs of paresthesia, increased sensitivity of the skin to sun, sweating, hair loss, increased weight, and lower back pain.
Based on your health history, your doctor should take blood tests for as long as you are being treated with Metoprolol Tartrate Injection USP.
They may monitor:
- blood sugar
- heart, liver, kidney, and thyroid function
- how Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP is affecting other medications that you are taking.
SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | |||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||||||
| Common | Low Blood Pressure: feeling of lightheadedness or fainting especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position | √ | |||||
| Chest Pain | √ | ||||||
Bronchospasm: difficulty breathing with wheezing or coughing | √ | ||||||
Heart Failure: shortness of breath, leg swelling and tiredness especially with activity | √ | ||||||
| Uncommon | Edema: ankle swelling | √ | |||||
Slow or irregular heartbeat (palpitations) | √ | ||||||
New or Worsening Psoriasis: skin rash (in the form of itchy rash, thickened patches of red/silver skin) | √ | ||||||
| If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms. |
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SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | |||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||||||
Allergic Reaction: rash, hives, swelling of the face, throat, lips, difficulty swallowing or breathing | √ | ||||||
Liver Disorder: yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite | √ | ||||||
Sexuality: Abnormal curvature of the penis. Change in sex drive Change in ability to achieve or maintain an erection | √ √ √ | ||||||
Hallucinations: see or hear things that are not there | √ | ||||||
Depression: feel sad, loss of interest in usual activities changes in sleep and eating patterns | √ | ||||||
Change in personality and confusion | √ | ||||||
Visual Disturbance: blurred vision, dry or irritated eyes | √ | ||||||
SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | |||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||||||
Hearing Disturbance: noises, reduced or loss of hearing | √ | ||||||
Parasthesia: Colder than usual hands or feet | √ | ||||||
Gangrene; toes or fingers cold to the touch, discoloured and painful | √ | ||||||
Kidney Disorder: change in frequency of urination, swelling of extremities, fatigue, skin rash, itching, nausea, vomiting | √ | ||||||
High Blood Pressure: headaches, vision disorders, nausea and vomiting | √ | ||||||
Blood clots: swelling, pain and redness in an arm or leg that can be warm to touch. You may develop sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing and heart palpitations. | √ | ||||||
SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | ||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | |||||
Decreased Platelets: bruising, bleeding, fatigue and weakness | √ | |||||
Retroperitoneal fibrosis: lower back pain, kidney failure (low or no urine produced), high blood pressure, blood clot in the legs (See Blood Clots above) | √ | |||||
Arthritis: stiff sore joints | √ | |||||
Oculomucocut-aneous Syndrome: red, irritated and watery eyes, skin rash and ear infection | √ | |||||
This is not a complete list of side effects. For any unexpected effects while taking Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP contact your doctor or pharmacist.
HOW TO STORE IT
Store Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP vials between 15-30°C. Protect from light.
Reporting Side Effects
You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:
NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice. |
MORE INFORMATION
If you want more information about Metoprolol Tartrate Injection, USP:
- Talk to your healthcare professional
- Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Consumer Information by visiting the Health Canada website (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html); or by calling 1-888-318-0234.