Bisoprololfumarate

Bisoprolol5mgtablets
Whenusedinheartfailure
Bisoprololfumarate(Bysoprololfewmarate)isa
medicinewhichisusedinheartfailure.

informationabouthowtotakeyourmedicinefrom
yourdoctororpharmacist.

Yourmedicine

Ifyouarehavingproblemstakingthisformof
Bisoprololfumarate,youshouldtalktoyour
prescriberorpharmacist.Theymaybeabletogive
youadviceonotherwaystotakeyourmedicineor
otherpreparationsthatareeasierforyoutotake.

Bisoprololfumarateblockstheeffectsofcertain
chemicalsinthebody.Bisoprololfumarateisused
tohelptreatheartfailure.Bisoprololfumaratemay
alsoreducetheheartrateandhelpthehearttobeat
moreregularly.
OtherinformationaboutBisoprololfumarate:

yourdoctormaystartyouonalowdoseof
thismedicineandthenincreasethedose
dependingonhowyourespondtotreatment

youwillneedtobeundermedical
observationforatleastfourhourswhenyou
starttreatmentwithBisoprololfumarate
Donotshareyourmedicinewithotherpeople.It
maynotbesuitableforthemandmayharmthem.
Thepharmacylabelonyourmedicinetellsyouhow
muchmedicineyoushouldtake.Italsotellsyou
howoftenyoushouldtakeyourmedicine.Thisis
thedosethatyouandyourprescriberhaveagreed
youshouldtake.Youshouldnotchangethedoseof
yourmedicineunlessyouaretoldtodosobyyour
prescriber.
Ifyoufeelthatthemedicineismakingyouunwellor
youdonotthinkitisworking,thentalktoyour
prescriber.
Whentotakeyourmedicine
Somemedicinesworkbestiftheyaretakenata
specifictimeofday.Gettingthemostbenefitfrom
yourmedicinecanalsobeaffectedbywhatyoueat,
whenyoueatandthetimesatwhichyoutakeother
medicines.
SpecificinformationonwhentotakeBisoprolol
fumaratecanbefoundinthePatientInformation
Leafletthatcomeswiththismedicineoronthe
medicinelabel.Youcanalsoaskyourdoctoror
pharmacistforinformationaboutwhentotakeyour
medicine.

Takingtoomuchofyourmedicine
Takingextradosesofsomemedicinescanbe
harmful.Insomecasesevenoneextradosecan
causeyouproblems.Ifyoutakeextradosesofyour
medicine,youmustgetmedicaladviceimmediately.
Youmayneedatesttoassesstheeffectoftaking
extradoses.Thisisbecausetheeffectsoftaking
toomuchmedicineareverycomplexsoitisvery
importantthatyouseekmedicaladvice.
Contactyourprescriber,pharmacist,specialistclinic
orNHSDirecton08454647foradvice.
Makesureyoutakeallofyourmedicinecontainers
withyouifyouareadvisedtogotohospital.
Stoppingyourmedicine
Ifyouarenothavinganyproblemstakingthis
medicinethendonotstoptakingit,evenifyoufeel
better,unlessadvisedtodosobyyourprescriber.If,
however,youfindthatthismedicineiscausingyou
problemsthenyoushouldtalktoyourprescriber
aboutyourconcerns.
Ifyourmedicalteamdecidesthatitisbestthatyou
donottakethismedicineanymore,theymay
advisethatyoudonotstopBisoprololfumarate
abruptly.Thisisbecause,insomeinstances,
stoppingBisoprololfumarateabruptlycancause
withdrawalsymptomsorcauseyouroriginal
conditiontoreturn.Intheseinstances,reducingthe
doseofBisoprololfumarategraduallyovertimemay
reducethechancesofhavingtheseproblems.
Ifyouareinanydoubt,contactyourprescriber,
pharmacist,specialistclinicorNHSDirecton0845
4647.

Howtotakeyourmedicine

Lookingafteryourmedicine

Somemedicineshavespecificinstructionsabout
howtotakethem.Thisisbecausetheyworkbetter
whentakencorrectly.Theseinstructionscaninclude
gettingtherightdoseandspecialinstructionsfor
preparingthemedicine.

Theinstructionsonhowyoushouldkeepyour
medicineareonthepharmacylabel.Itisagood
ideatokeepyourmedicineintheoriginalcontainer.
Thiswillhelptokeepyourmedicineinthebest
conditionandalsoallowyoutocheckthe
instructions.Donottakethemedicineifthe
packagingappearstohavebeentamperedwithorif
themedicineshowsanysignsofdamage.Make
surethatthemedicineisoutofthesightandreach
ofchildren.

SpecificinformationonhowtotakeBisoprolol
fumaratecanbefoundinthePatientInformation
Leafletthatcomeswiththismedicineoronthe
medicinelabel.Alternatively,youcanrequest

Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides

SpecificinformationonhowtolookafterBisoprolol
fumaratecanbefoundinthePatientInformation
Leafletthatcomeswiththismedicineoronthe
medicinelabel.Alternatively,youcanrequest
informationabouthowtolookafteryourmedicine
fromyourdoctororpharmacist.
Youmustnottakethemedicineaftertheexpirydate
shownonthepackaging.Ifyouhaveanyunused
medicine,returnittoyourpharmacistwhowill
disposeofitsafely.
Whetherthismedicineissuitableforyou
Bisoprololfumarateisnotsuitableforeveryoneand
somepeopleshouldneveruseit.Otherpeople
shouldonlyuseitwithspecialcare.Itisimportant
thatthepersonprescribingthismedicineknows
yourfullmedicalhistory.
Yourprescribermayonlyprescribethismedicine
withspecialcareormaynotprescribeitatallifyou:

areallergicorsensitivetoorhavehada
reactiontoanyoftheingredientsinthe
medicine

areabouttohaveaprocedureundergeneral
orlocalanaesthesia

arefasting

arehavingdesensitisationtherapy

havechronicobstructivepulmonarydisease

havecirculationproblems

havekidneyproblems

haveliverproblems

havemetabolicproblems

haveorhavehadbronchospasm,asthmaor
airwayobstructionproblems

haveorhavehadcertainheartproblems

haveorhavehadpsoriasis

havephaeochromocytoma

haveRaynaud'ssyndrome

haverecentlyhadaheartattack

havethyrotoxicosis

wearcontactlenses

havediabetesorhavediabetesthatisnot
wellcontrolled
Furthermoretheprescribermayonlyprescribethis
medicinewithspecialcareormaynotprescribeitat
allforachild.
Aspartoftheprocessofassessingsuitabilityto
takethismedicineaprescribermayalsoarrange
tests:

tocheckthatthismedicineisnothavingany
undesiredeffects
OvertimeitispossiblethatBisoprololfumaratecan
becomeunsuitableforsomepeople,ortheymay
becomeunsuitableforit.Ifatanytimeitappears

Page1of2

thatBisoprololfumaratehasbecomeunsuitable,itis
importantthattheprescriberiscontacted
immediately.
Sideeffects
Amedicineisonlymadeavailabletothepublicifthe
clinicaltrialshaveshownthatthebenefitsoftaking
themedicineoutweightherisks.
Onceamedicinehasbeenlicensed,informationon
themedicine'seffects,bothintendedand
unintended,iscontinuouslyrecordedandupdated.
Somesideeffectsmaybeseriouswhileothersmay
onlybeamildinconvenience.
Everyone'sreactiontoamedicineisdifferent.Itis
difficulttopredictwhichsideeffectsyouwillhave
fromtakingaparticularmedicine,orwhetheryou
willhaveanysideeffectsatall.Theimportantthing
istotellyourprescriberorpharmacistifyouare
havingproblemswithyourmedicine.
Verycommon:Morethan1in10peoplewhotake
Bisoprololfumarate

slowerheartrate
Common:Morethan1in100peoplewhotake
Bisoprololfumarate

coldandnumbfingersandtoes

constipation

diarrhoea

feelingdizzy

headaches

loweredbloodpressure

nausea

tiredness

vomiting

weakness

worseningofexistingheartproblems
Uncommon:Morethan1in1000peoplewhotake
Bisoprololfumarate

adropinbloodpressureonstandingor
sittingup

bronchospasminpeoplewithasthmaor
obstructiveairwaysdisease

depression

heartproblems

musclecramps

muscleweakness

sleepingproblems
Rare:Morethan1in10,000peoplewhotake
Bisoprololfumarate

abnormallaboratorytestresults

earorhearingproblems

faintingorbrieflossofconsciousness

hallucinations
Lastupdated27Nov12
Copyright2010Datapharm

Bisoprololfumarate
Bisoprolol5mgtablets
Whenusedinheartfailure

hypersensitivityreactionsincludingrashes,
itchingorflushing

impotence

liverproblems

metabolicproblems

nightmares

reducedtearflowthismayaffectpeople
whowearcontactlenses

rhinitis
Veryrare:Fewerthan1in10,000peoplewhotake
Bisoprololfumarate

eyeoreyesightproblems

hairloss

precipitationorworseningofpsoriasis
Thefrequencyofthesesideeffectsisunknown

hidingsymptomsoflowbloodsugarlevels

hidingsymptomsofthyrotoxicosis

increasedsensitivitytoallergensor
worseningofanaphylacticreactions

worseningofcirculationproblems
Ifyoufeelunwellorifyouhaveconcernsabouta
sideeffect,youwillneedtoseekadvice.Ifyoufeel
veryill,getmedicalhelpstraightaway.Contactyour
prescriber,pharmacist,nurseorcallNHSDirecton
08454647.
Takingothermedicines
Ifyouaretakingmorethanonemedicinetheymay
interactwitheachother.Attimesyourprescriber
maydecidetousemedicinesthatinteract,inother
casesthismaynotbeappropriate.
Thedecisiontousemedicinesthatinteractdepends
onyourspecificcircumstances.Yourprescribermay
decidetousemedicinesthatinteract,ifitisbelieved
thatthebenefitsoftakingthemedicinestogether
outweightherisks.Insuchcases,itmaybe
necessarytoalteryourdoseormonitoryoumore
closely.
Tellyourprescriberthenamesofallthemedicines
thatyouaretakingsothattheycanconsiderall
possibleinteractions.Thisincludesallthemedicines
whichhavebeenprescribedbyyourGP,hospital
doctor,dentist,nurse,healthvisitor,midwifeor
pharmacist.Youmustalsotellyourprescriberabout
medicineswhichyouhaveboughtoverthecounter
withoutprescriptions.
ThefollowingmedicinesmayinteractwithBisoprolol
fumarate:

adrenaline

amiodarone

amlodipine

clonidine

diltiazem
Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides

disopyramide
dobutamine
felodipine
flecainide
insulin
isoprenaline
lidocaine
mefloquine
methyldopa
moxonidine
noradrenaline
phenytoin
propafenone
quinidine
rilmenidine
verapamil

preparationsandvitamins,youshouldtellyour
prescriber.
Drivingandoperatingmachinery
Whentakinganymedicineyoushouldbeawarethat
itmightinterferewithyourabilitytodriveoroperate
machinerysafely.
InthecaseofBisoprololfumarate:

thismedicinecouldaffectyourabilitytodrive
oroperatemachinery
Youshouldseehowthismedicineaffectsyou
beforeyoujudgewhetheryouaresafetodriveor
operatemachinery.Ifyouareinanydoubtabout
whetheryoushoulddriveoroperatemachinery,talk
toyourprescriber.

Thefollowingtypesofmedicinemayinteractwith
Bisoprololfumarate:

anaesthetics

antiarrhythmics

barbiturates

calciumantagonists

digitalisglycosides

monoamineoxidaseinhibitors

nonsteroidalantiinflammatories

oralantidiabetics

otherbetablockersincludingeyedrops

othermedicinesthatlowerbloodpressure

parasympathomimetics

phenothiazines

sympathomimetics

tricyclicantidepressants
IfyouaretakingBisoprololfumarateandoneofthe
abovemedicinesortypesofmedicines,makesure
yourprescriberknowsaboutit.
Complementarypreparationsandvitamins
Medicinescaninteractwithcomplementary
preparationsandvitamins.Ingeneral,thereisnot
muchinformationavailableaboutinteractions
betweenmedicinesandcomplementary
preparationsorvitamins.
Ifyouareplanningtotakeorarealreadytakingany
complementarypreparationsandvitaminsyou
shouldaskyourprescriberwhetherthereareany
knowninteractionswithBisoprololfumarate.
Yourprescribercanadvisewhetheritisappropriate
foryoutotakecombinationsthatareknownto
interact.Theycanalsodiscusswithyouthe
possibleeffectthatthecomplementarypreparations
andvitaminsmayhaveonyourcondition.
Ifyouexperienceanyunusualeffectswhiletaking
thismedicineincombinationwithcomplementary

Diet
Medicinescaninteractwithcertainfoods.Insome
cases,thismaybeharmfulandyourprescribermay
adviseyoutoavoidcertainfoods.
InthecaseofBisoprololfumarate:

therearenospecificfoodsthatyoumust
excludefromyourdietwhentakingBisoprolol
fumarate
Alcohol
Alcoholcaninteractwithcertainmedicines.
InthecaseofBisoprololfumarate:

therearenoknowninteractionsbetween
alcoholandBisoprololfumarate
Familyplanningandpregnancy
Mostmedicines,insomeway,canaffectthe
developmentofababyinthewomb.Theeffecton
thebabydiffersbetweenmedicinesandalso
dependsonthestageofpregnancythatyouhave
reachedwhenyoutakethemedicine.
InthecaseofBisoprololfumarate:

youshouldonlytakethismedicineduring
pregnancyifyourdoctorthinksthatyouneed
it

ifyoutakethismedicineduringyour
pregnancy,yourbabymayneedtohave
somemonitoringafterbirth
Youneedtodiscussyourspecificcircumstances
withyourdoctortoweighuptheoverallrisksand
benefitsoftakingthismedicine.Youandyourdoctor
canmakeadecisionaboutwhetheryouaregoingto
takethismedicineduringpregnancy.

Breastfeeding
Certainmedicinescanpassintobreastmilkand
mayreachyourbabythroughbreastfeeding.
InthecaseofBisoprololfumarate:

breastfeedingisnotrecommendedwhile
takingthismedicine
Beforeyouhaveyourbabyyoushoulddiscuss
breastfeedingwithyourdoctorormidwife.Theywill
helpyoudecidewhatisbestforyouandyourbaby
basedonthebenefitsandrisksassociatedwiththis
medicine.Ifyouwishtobreastfeedyoushould
discusswithyourprescriberwhetherthereareany
othermedicinesyoucouldtakewhichwouldalso
allowyoutobreastfeed.Youshouldnotstopthis
medicinewithouttakingadvicefromyourdoctor.
Ingredientsofyourmedicine
Medicinescontainactiveingredients.Theymayalso
containother,additionalingredientsthathelpensure
thestability,safetyandeffectivenessofthe
medicine.Theyarealsoaddedtoimprovethe
medicine'stasteandappearanceandtomakeit
easiertotake.Somemaybeusedtoprolongthelife
ofthemedicine.
Thismedicinecontainsbisoprololfumarate.
Weareunabletolistalloftheingredientsforyour
medicinehere.Forafulllist,youshouldrefertothe
patientinformationleafletthatcomeswiththis
medicine.Youshouldcheckthatyouareableto
taketheingredientsofyourmedicine,especiallyif
youhaveanyallergies.Youshouldalsocheck
whetheranyoftheseingredientsareknowntohave
sideeffects.
Ifyouarenotabletotakeanyoftheingredientsin
yourmedicine,talktoyourprescriberorpharmacist
toseeiftheycansuggestanalternativemedicine.If
youhavereactedbadlytoBisoprololfumarate
before,donottakeBisoprololfumarate.Talktoyour
prescriber,pharmacistornurseassoonaspossible.

IfthedecisionisthatyoushouldnothaveBisoprolol
fumarate,thenyoushoulddiscusswhetherthereis
analternativemedicinethatyoucouldtakeduring
pregnancy.

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Lastupdated27Nov12
Copyright2010Datapharm