Nadolol

Nadolol is a prescription medication used to used to treat high blood pressure. It is also used to prevent angina (chest pain).

Nadolol belongs to a group of drugs called beta blockers. It works by relaxing blood vessels and slowing heart rate to improve blood flow and decrease blood pressure.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken typically once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of nadolol include dizziness, fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues.

Nadolol can also cause blurred vision, drowsiness, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how nadolol affects you.

Nadolol is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure. It is also used to prevent angina (chest pain).

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Nadolol may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Corgard

• Corzide

Serious side effects have been reported with nadolol. See the “Nadolol Precautions” section.

Common side effects of nadolol include the following:

• Dizziness or fatigue
• Bronchospasm
• Nausea and stomach discomfort
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Indigestion
• Anorexia
• Bloating and flatulence

This is not a complete list of nadolol side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• insulin and oral hypoglycemics
• reserpine (Serpalan)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• beta blockers such as metoprolol (Toprol XL, Lopressor), bisoprolol (Zebeta), betaxolol (Kerlone), nebivolol (Bystolic), propranolol (Inderal), carvedilol (Coreg)
• anesthesia used in surgery

This is not a complete list of nadolol drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with nadolol including the following:

• Bradycardia (slow heart rate). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any new or increasing irregularities in your heart rate.
• Hypotension. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, may cause you to feel faint or dizzy. Inadequate fluid intake, excessive sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting can lead to an excessive fall in blood pressure too. Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.
• Heart failure. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following symptoms:
  • sudden weight gain
  • worsening shortness of breath
  • increased swelling of your feet, legs, or abdomen
  • needing to use more pillows to go to sleep or sleeping in a recliner
  • waking from sleep to catch your breath
  • a cough that does not go away
  • new or increasing irregularities in your heart rate
• Non-allergic bronchospasm (e.g., chronic bronchitis and emphysema): Avoid using nadolol in patients with these conditions. 
• Diabetes: Monitor glucose as nadolol may mask symptoms of hypoglycemia or worsen hyperglycemia.
• Nadolol may mask the symptoms of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).

While taking beta-blockers, patients with a history of severe anaphylactic reaction to a variety of allergens may be more reactive to the allergens. Such patients may be unresponsive to the usual doses of epinephrine used to treat an allergic reaction.

Nadolol can cause blurred vision, drowsiness, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how nadolol affects you.

Do not take nadolol if you:

• are allergic to nadolol or to any of its ingredients
• have non-allergic bronchospasm (e.g., chronic bronchitis and emphysema)
• are prone to asthma or other breathing problems
• have sinus bradycardia (slow heart rate)
• have a heart conduction block
• have cardiogenic shock
• have heart failure

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of nadolol, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking nadolol, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to nadolol or to any of its ingredients
• have or have ever had asthma or other lung diseases
• have a slow heart rate
• have heart or kidney disease
• have diabetes
• have severe allergies
• have an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery
• you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking nadolol, call your doctor.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Nadolol falls into category C.  In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Nadolol has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from nadolol, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Take nadolol exactly as prescribed.

Nadolol comes in tablet form and is taken once every day, with or without food.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of nadolol at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated

• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your kidney function

The recommended dose range of nadolol for the treatment of angina and high blood pressure is 40 or 80 mg/day.

If you take too much nadolol, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store at room temperature.
• Avoid excessive heat.
• Protect from light.
• Keep bottle tightly closed.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Exacerbation of Ischemic Heart Disease Following Abrupt Withdrawal

Hypersensitivity to catecholamines has been observed in patients withdrawn from beta-blocker therapy; exacerbation of angina and, in some cases, myocardial infarction have occurred after abrupt discontinuation of such therapy. When discontinuing chronically administered nadolol, particularly in patients with ischemic heart disease, the dosage should be gradually reduced over a period of one to two weeks and the patient should be carefully monitored. If angina markedly worsens or acute coronary insufficiency develops, nadolol administration should be reinstituted promptly, at least temporarily, and other measures appropriate for the management of unstable angina should be taken. Patients should be warned against interruption or discontinuation of therapy without the physician's advice. Because coronary artery disease is common and may be unrecognized, it may be prudent not to discontinue nadolol therapy abruptly even in patients treated only for hypertension.