Timolol: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

What TIMOLOL is used for:

TIMOLOL is used to:

• Treat high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) in adults. It can be used alone or with other medicines.
• Prevent chest pain (also known as angina) in adults.
• To help prevent another heart attack in people who have already had a heart attack.
• Treat throbbing headache (also known as migraine).

How TIMOLOL works:

TIMOLOL belongs to a group of drugs called “beta blockers.”

• It makes your heart beat more slowly and less forcefully.
• It relaxes your blood vessels so that your blood flows more easily.

This medicine does not cure your disease but helps to control it.

The ingredients in TIMOLOL are:

Medicinal ingredients: Timolol maleate

Serious Warnings and Precautions

• Do not stop taking TIMOLOL suddenly. In some cases, this could cause serious side effects such as chest pain, irregular heartbeat, heart attack or even sudden death.
• Talk to your healthcare professional before stopping or lowering your dose of TIMOLOL. If your healthcare professional decides that you should stop taking TIMOLOL, your dose may be reduced gradually so that you need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

Non-Medicinal ingredients: Brilliant blue FCF aluminum lake 12% and blue #2 indigotine aluminum lake 12-14% (10 mg and 20 mg tablets only), croscarmellose sodium, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate and microcrystalline cellulose.

TIMOLOL comes in the following dosage forms:

Tablets: 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg.

Do not use TIMOLOL if:

• you are allergic to TIMOLOL or any of the other ingredients in TIMOLOL.
• are 18 years of age and younger.
• you have heart failure, and you notice that your symptoms are getting worse. For example, you feel more tired, are out of breath more often, or have swelling of the ankles.
• you have severe heart damage, and your heart is not able to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs.
• you have an enlarged heart.
• you have an abnormally slow heartbeat.
• you have an irregular heartbeat or abnormal heart rhythm.
• you have a problem with your heart’s electrical conduction (that causes you to have chest pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, fatigue and fainting).
• you have a history of allergic problems, including hay fever or stuffy nose.
• you have asthma, bronchitis, wheezing, difficulty breathing, or history of lung problems.

• you have been using anaesthesia with agents that produce myocardial depression (e.g.

  ether).

• you are taking medicines for depression called monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

• you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

• you have very poor blood circulation in the hands and feet resulting in coldness and pain in them (for example, Raynaud’s Syndrome or Phenomenon).
• you have a certain type of chest pain called Prinzmetal’s angina.
• you have a condition called phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland causing high blood pressure) which is not being treated.
• you have a condition called metabolic acidosis (abnormal levels of acids in your blood).
• you have low blood pressure.
• you have serious problems with blood flow in your feet and legs.

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

• have a history of heart problems.
• have a history of fainting.
• have thyroid problems.

• have diabetes and take medicine to control your blood sugar or have low blood sugar

  (hypoglycemia).

• have liver or kidney problems.
• have had allergic reactions or have allergies.
• develop a skin rash while taking TIMOLOL.
• have disease of the cornea (eye).
• have muscle weakness.
• have circulation problems, including a history of stroke or mini-strokes (transient ischemic attacks, TIA’s).
• are scheduled for surgery and will be given an anesthetic.
• have asthma or other lung problems (like bronchitis or emphysema, COPD).
• have a skin condition called psoriasis.

• are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. You should not breastfeed while using

  TIMOLOL.

• have one of the following rare hereditary diseases:

  • Galactose intolerance
  • Lapp lactase deficiency
  • Glucose-galactose malabsorption

Because lactose is a non-medicinal ingredient in TIMOLOL.

Other warnings you should know about:

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

• If you are going to have an operation or surgery, let the healthcare professionals at the hospital (and the anesthetist or anesthesiologist in particular) know that you are taking TIMOLOL.
• Monitoring and Laboratory Tests: In some cases, your healthcare professional will monitor and assess your liver or kidney function more closely while you are taking TIMOLOL.

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 TIMOLOL:

• drugs used for lowering blood pressure or treating angina:

  • beta-blocking agents (such as clonidine),
  • calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem),
  • catecholamine-depleting drugs (such as reserpine or guanethidine),
  • vasodilators (such as hydralazine).
• certain medicines used to treat heartburn and ulcers (such as cimetidine).
• certain medicines used to treat bacterial infections (e.g. rifampin).
• medicines used to treat an irregular heartbeat (e.g. diltiazem, verapamil or amiodarone, quinidine, disopyramide, lidocaine).
• medicines used to treat depression, (e.g., fluoxetine, paroxetine, desipramine, barbiturates).
• medicines used to treat heart failure such as digitalis.
• certain medicines used to treat migraine (e.g. ergotamine).
• medicines used to treat diabetes such as insulin and oral medicines.
• medicines used to reduce fever, pain and inflammation - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) (e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen or diclofenac).
• medicines used to treat cardiac arrest and low blood pressure (e.g isoprenaline, salbutamol).
• medicines used to treat psychosis such as phenothiazines (e.g., fluphenazine).

How to take TIMOLOL:

• Take TIMOLOL:

  • exactly as prescribed by your healthcare professional.
  • by mouth.
• Your healthcare professional may add another medicine like a diuretic (water pill) for you to take along with TIMOLOL to treat your high blood pressure.
• Do NOT stop taking TIMOLOL or change your dose without consulting with your healthcare professional. This can cause dangerous side effects. If your healthcare professional decides that you should stop taking TIMOLOL, your dose may be reduced gradually so that you need to use it less and less before you stop the medication completely.

Usual dose:

Your healthcare professional will decide how much TIMOLOL you should take each day depending on your condition.

High Blood Pressure

Usual starting daily dose: 5 mg to 10 mg twice a day.

Maximum daily dose: 60 mg.

Chest Pain

Usual starting daily dose: 15 mg to 45 mg per day.

Maximum daily dose: 45 mg.

To prevent Heart attack (Ischemic heart disease)

Usual starting daily dose: 5 mg twice a day.

Maintenance dose: 10 mg twice daily.

Throbbing Headache (Migraine)

Usual starting daily dose: 10 mg to 30 mg twice a day.

Elderly

If you are elderly, your healthcare professional will probably start you with the lowest adult dose and then adjust your dose carefully, depending on how you respond to treatment.

Children

TIMOLOL is not recommended for use in children.

Overdose:

If you think that you or a person you are caring for have taken too much TIMOLOL, contact your healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, regional poison control centre or Health Canada’s toll-free number, 1-844 POISON-X (1-844-764-7669) immediately, even if there are no signs or symptoms.

Missed Dose:

If you miss a dose, take the dose as soon as you remember.

If you have missed a dose and it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue taking the medication on your normal schedule.

Do NOT take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.

What are possible side effects from using TIMOLOL?

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking TIMOLOL. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

Side effects may include:

• cough
• cold fingers and toes
• confusion
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• dry eyes
• dry mouth or disturbed taste.
• hair loss
• headache
• light headedness
• muscle pain or joint pain
• memory loss
• nausea
• stuffy nose and colds
• tiredness
• trouble sleeping or nightmares
• vertigo or feeling faint
• weight loss

Serious side effects and what to do about them

Serious side effects and what to do about them

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, tell your healthcare professional.

Reporting Side Effects

You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:

• Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting (canada.ca/drug-device-reporting) for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax; or
• Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.

NOTE: Contact your healthcare professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.

Storage:

Store at room temperature, 15°C - 30°C

Keep out of reach and sight of children.

If you want more information about TIMOLOL:

• 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: (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html); the manufacturer’s website (https://www.aapharma.ca/en/), or by calling 1-877-998-9097.

Date of Authorization: 2025-05-29