Brand Name

Catapres {Boehringer Ingelheim}

Generic Name

clonidine, pronounced KLOE ni deen

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Drug Guide

The information contained in the following drug guide is intended as an educational resource only. This guide is not exhaustive and does not contain all available information about this drug.This guide is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatment.

The information provided in this guide does not replace the need for the advice and services of medical professionals or the need for medical examination. Always talk to your physician or pharmacist before taking any prescription medication or over the counter drugs (including any supplements) or before making any changes to your treatment. Only your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can provide you with safe and effective advice regarding your drug treatment.

The use of the information in this guide is at your sole risk. This information is provided "AS IS" with no warranties to accuracy or timeliness.

**All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

What is Catapres?

Catapres is the brand name of a prescription drug made by Boehringer Ingelheim. The generic name of the drug is clonidine. It is pronounced as kloe ni-deen. It is also sometimes referred to as clonidine hydrochloride. Catapres is prescribed to adults suffering from hypertension. The medicine can reduce high blood pressure and regulate it at normal, healthier levels.

Adults suffer from high blood pressure for a myriad of reasons. It could also be a chronic condition. Catapres can reduce the presence of the chemicals in the blood responsible for high blood pressure. It effectively eases the stress on the blood vessels and thereby relaxes the heart rate.

Catapres might be prescribed for other purposes not mentioned here.

Key Facts About Catapres

Anyone scheduled to undergo a surgery should stop consuming Catapres. You should not abruptly stop the dosage. Seek the advice of your doctor and gradually stop taking it before you undergo a surgery. Abruptly stopping a prescribed course of Catapres may have severe symptoms of withdrawal.

Catapres has been classified in pregnancy category C by the United States Food and Drug Administration. This effectively means pregnant women should not take the medicine. Women who are taking the drug and get pregnant should consult their doctor to decide the subsequent course of action. Breastfeeding mothers should not take the drug as its ingredients may pass onto breast milk. How Catapres affects the fetus or the health of a newborn is not known.

Anyone who drinks two or more servings of alcohol regularly should not take Catapres. Alcohol consumption reduces blood pressure. Taking the medicine along with, before or after alcohol consumption may drastically reduce the blood pressure. Alcohol may also cause some side effects when it mixes with the ingredients of the drug in the blood.

It is best to avoid taking the drug if you are consuming salt substitutes or potassium supplements and vice versa. The only exception is if your doctor has specifically advised you to do so. You should always complete the prescribed course as per the dosage and try not to miss a dose or to stop taking the medicine without the approval of your doctor. You should routinely check your blood pressure and continue using the medicine as long as your doctor prescribes.

You should always report any side effect you might experience after starting on Catapres. Consult your doctor immediately if you have diarrhea or constant vomiting, excessive sweating or unusual dehydration. Catapres can reduce the blood pressure dramatically in some cases and this may cause an electrolyte imbalance.

Normally, the drug takes up to six weeks to bring down high blood pressure to relatively normal levels. Some people may experience positive results in three weeks. Regardless of the gradual progression or lack of change in blood pressure levels, everyone should continue taking the drug as prescribed by the doctor. Symptoms of high blood pressure should subside in the third week or onward. Consult your doctor if you don’t experience any improvement by the end of the third week.

Before You Take Catapres

You should tell your doctor if you have had allergic reactions to clonidine in the past. Some people are allergic to clonidine transdermal skin patch, commonly known as Catapres TTS. Your doctor would make recommendations accordingly. Do not consume two different brands or forms of the drug simultaneously.

Anyone suffering from any type of heart ailments or cardiovascular conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart rhythm disorder, slow heart rate and chronic low blood pressure should report the same to their doctor. Anyone who has suffered a stroke or heart attack and those who have kidney disease or a tumor in the adrenal gland should also inform their doctor before beginning a course of Catapres.

As you begin your course, remain calm and proactively conscious of your physical state. Do not indulge in fast movements, avoid getting up quickly and steady your motions, whether you are sitting, lying, walking or jogging. This will avert dizziness. Report any strange sensation you feel to your doctor. If you are on any special diet that is low on salt or you take diuretics, then such details should also be shared with your doctor.

Catapres Drug Interactions

You should inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), doxepin (Sinequan) and nortriptyline (Pamelor)
• beta-blockers like atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Dutoprol, Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran) and sotalol (Betapace)
• clonidine transdermal skin patches (Catapres TTS)
• digitalis (digoxin, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps)
• heart or blood pressure medications like amlodipine
• Norvasc, Caduet, Exforge, Lotrel, Tekamlo, Tribenzor, Twynsta), diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), nifedipine (Nifedical, Procardia) and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan)
• diuretics or water pills
• psychiatric medications like chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo), fluphenazine (Permitil, Prolixin), haloperidol (Haldol), olanzapine (Zyprexa, Symbyax), perphenazine (Trilafon), prochlorperazine (Compazine), risperidone (Risperdal), thiothixene (Navane) and trifluoperazine (Stelazine)

Catapres may interfere with antidepressants. If you are taking amitriptyline, doxepin or nortriptyline, your doctor should know about it. The brand names of amitriptyline are Vanatrip, Elavil and Limbitrol, doxepin is branded as Sinequan and nortriptyline has a branded variant in Pamelor.

Catapres may interfere with beta-blockers such as atenolol, carvedilol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, propranolol and sotalol. The respective brand names are Tenormin, Tenoretic, Coreg, Normodyne, Trandate, Dutoprol, Lopressor, Toprol, Corgard, Inderal, InnoPran and Betapace .

Catapres interacts with Catapres TTS or clonidine transdermal skin patches. You should tell your doctor if you are taking digitalis, any medication for blood pressure or heart such as amlodipine and other drugs including but not limited to Caduet, Norvasc, Lotrel, Exforge, Tribenzor, Tekamlo, Cartia, Twynsta, Cardizem, Nifedical, Calan, Procardia, Isoptin, Covera and Verelan.

Catapres may interfere with water pills or diuretics and psychiatric medications such as Thorazine, Clozaril, FazaClo, Permitil or Prolixin, Haldol, Zyprexa and Symbyax, Trilafon, Compazine, Risperdal, Navane and Stelazine.

If you are taking any other drugs, prescribed or over the counter, then you should share the details with your doctor. Catapres can also interact with supplements, vitamins, herbal products and new medicines that you may start taking.

Directions for Taking Catapres

Your doctor will mention the dosage and also provide instructions at the time of prescribing the drug.

You should do exactly as your doctor has prescribed. You should not change the dosage, frequency or interval, do not switch from branded to generic or vice versa and don’t take both alternatively or simultaneously.

Only a doctor should change the dosage or course. You should take Catapres at the same time and you can do so without or with food.

You can take a tablet if you have just missed a dose but skip it if you are short of twelve hours from the next dose. Keep Catapres away from heat and moisture. Do not keep it in the fridge.

It should be kept at room temperature.

Catapres Side Effects

If you experience any of the following adverse effects you should stop taking Catapres and seek emergency medical help immediately.

• allergic reaction including hives, swelling in your face, lips, throat or tongue and trouble breathing
• confusion
• difficulty breathing, even with mild exertion
• faint feeling
• fast or pounding heartbeats
• flu symptoms
• hallucinations
• slow heart rate (less than 60 beats per minute)
• swelling and rapid weight gain
• tremors
• urinary difficulties

Less serious side effects of Catapres may include:

• cold or flu symptoms, such as a stuffy nose, sore throat or sneezing
• constipation
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• ear pain
• fever (mild) or feeling hot
• headache
• impotence
• increased thirst
• insomnia
• mood changes and irritability
• nightmares
• stomach pain, especially in upper stomach

Catapres can have some or several side effects. Some side effects could be mild and temporary. Some may be severe and a few may linger. You should always report the side effects to your doctor. The severe side effects of Catapres are allergies such as hives, swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat, breathing problems, a sense of confusion, fainting sensation, pounding or fast heartbeat, hallucinations, flu like symptoms, a drastically reduced heart rate, weight gain, urinary problems and tremors.

Some of the moderate side effects are stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, dry mouth, drowsiness, pain in the ear, hot flashes, mild fever, impotence, headache, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, pain in the stomach, nightmares and increased thirst. You may experience other reactions, which may or may not be side effects of Catapres. It is imperative you report your experience to the doctor.

It should be noted that this is not a complete list of possible side effects of Catapres. You should contact your physician for a complete list and medical advice regarding these effects.

Catapres Description and Dosing

Catapres is sold in the form of tablets. They are usually 0.1 to 0.3 mg. The tan Catapres tablet is 0.1 mg and it is marked as BI 6, the orange one is 0.2 with the mark BI 7 and the peach one is 0.3 mg with the mark BI 11. Your doctor will prescribe the dosage and also the instruction of when and how many tablets you should take.

Consult with your doctor for specific dosing pertaining to you. Do not attempt to alter or change your dose of Catapres without your physician’s consent.

If you suspect that you have overdosed with Catapres you should seek emergency help immediately.

Ingredients in Catapres

The active ingredient in Catapres is clonidine hydrochloride. Each tablet also contains colloidal silicon dioxide, dibasic calcium phosphate, corn starch, gelatin, lactose, glycerin, magnesium stearate, FD&C Yellow No. 6, Red No. 3 and Blue No. 1.

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The information contained in this drug guide is intended as an educational resource only. This guide is not exhaustive and does not contain all available information about this drug.This guide is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatment.

The information provided in this guide does not replace the need for the advice and services of medical professionals or the need for medical examination. Always talk to your physician or pharmacist before taking any prescription medication or over the counter drugs (including any supplements) or before making any changes to your treatment. Only your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can provide you with safe and effective advice regarding your drug treatment.

The use of the information in this guide is at your sole risk. This information is provided "AS IS" with no warranties to accuracy or timeliness.

**All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.