RiteMED Clonidine

Clonidine HCl

HTN as monotherapy or in combination w/ other antihypertensives.

Mild to moderate HTN Initially 75-150 mcg bid. May be increased in increments of 100 mcg daily. Maintenance dose: 200-600 mcg daily in 2 divided doses. Max daily dose: 2,400 mcg in 2-3 divided doses. Severe HTN Increase initial dose to 300 mcg tid.

May be taken with or without food.

Hypersensitivity. Severe bradyarrhythmia resulting from either sick sinus syndrome or AV block of 2nd or 3rd degree.

Avoid abrupt w/drawal. Reduce dose gradually over 2-4 days to avoid w/drawal symptoms. Patients w/ severe coronary insufficiency, recent MI, conduction disturbances, mild to moderate bradyarrhythmia (eg, slow sinus rhythm), cerebrovascular disease, disorders of cerebral or peripheral perfusion, polyneuropathy, depression, chronic renal failure, Raynaud's disease, thromboangiitis obliterans, or constipation. Monitor patients w/ heart failure or severe coronary disease. History of mental depression. Not to be interrupted for surgery; oral therapy should be continued to w/in 4 hr before surgery. Possibility of lower BP in patients receiving drug for conditions other than HTN (eg, smoking cessation, pain management, ADHD). No therapeutic effect may be expected in HTN caused by pheochromocytoma. Decreased lacrimation & dryness of eyes in patients who wear contact lenses. Concomitant off-label use w/ methylphenidate in childn w/ ADHD. May affect ability to drive & operate machinery. Pregnancy & lactation. Childn & adolescents.

AV block, bradyarrhythmia, bradycardia, chest pain, CHF, ECG abnormalities (eg, arrhythmias, sinus node arrest, junctional bradycardia, conduction disturbances eg, high degree AV block) manifested as Wenckebach period or ventricular trigeminy, flushes, hypotension, increases in BP, orthostatic symptoms, palpitations, Raynaud's phenomenon, sinus bradycardia, syncope, tachycardia; alopecia, hair thinning, angioedema, hives, pruritus, rash, urticaria; abdominal pain, anorexia, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, parotitis, pseudo-obstruction (including colonic pseudo-obstruction), salivary gland pain, vomiting; decreased sexual activity, difficulty in micturition, erectile dysfunction, impotence, loss of libido, nocturia, urinary retention; thrombocytopenia; hepatitis, mild transient abnormalities in LFTs; gynecomastia, transient elevation of blood glucose & serum creatine phosphokinase, transient hyperglycemia, wt gain; cramps of lower limbs, fatigue, malaise, muscle or joint pain, weakness; agitation, anxiety, behavioral changes, CVAs, confusion, delirium, delusional perception, depression, dizziness, drowsiness, hallucinations (including visual & auditory), headache, insomnia, irritability, lethargy, localized numbness, mental depression, nervousness, nightmares, paresthesia, restlessness, sedation, sleep disorder, vivid dreams; accommodation disorder, blurred vision, decreased lacrimation, dryness, itching or burning of eyes, dryness of nasal mucosa, fever, increased sensitivity to alcohol, pallor, weakly +ve Coombs' test; w/drawal syndrome.

Additive effects w/ drugs that affect sinus node function or AV nodal conduction (eg, guanethidine), β-blockers (eg, propranolol), Ca-antagonists, cardiac glycosides. Reduced therapeutic effects w/ NSAIDs. Additive or potentiated action of other CNS depressants eg, opiates, other analgesics, barbiturates or other sedatives, anesth, or alcohol. May block the BP lowering effect w/ psychotherapeutic agents, TCAs (eg, imipramine, desipramine). May increase arrhythmogenic potential (QT-prolongation, ventricular fibrillation) of high IV doses of haloperidol in patients at state of alcoholic delirium. Increase BP lowering effect w/ other hypotensive agents. May abolish α₂-receptor mediated effects w/ drugs w/ α₂-receptor blocking properties (eg, phentolamine, tolazoline).

Other Antihypertensives

C02AC01 - clonidine ; Belongs to the class of imidazoline receptor agonists, centrally-acting antiadrenergic agents. Used in the treatment of hypertension.

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