Esmolol - Chloride

Esmolol

(ES moe lol)

Brevibloc, Brevibloc in NaCl, Brevibloc Premixed, Brevibloc Premixed DS

It is used to treat a fast heartbeat. It is used to treat high blood pressure. It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.

If you are allergic to this drug; any part of this drug; or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had. If you have any of these health problems: Breathing problems like asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), heart block, heart failure (weak heart), shock caused by heart problems, or slow heartbeat. If you have any of these health problems: A certain type of abnormal heartbeat (sick sinus syndrome) or a certain type of chest pain (Prinzmetal's angina). If you have high pressure in the lungs. If you are taking any of these drugs: Diltiazem or verapamil. This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this drug with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

Tell all of your health care providers that you take this drug. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists. Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this drug affects you. To lower the chance of feeling dizzy or passing out, rise slowly if you have been sitting or lying down. Be careful going up and down stairs. Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor. Check blood pressure and heart rate as the doctor has told you. This drug may hide the signs of low blood sugar. Talk with the doctor. If you have high blood sugar (diabetes), you will need to watch your blood sugar closely. This drug may make it harder to tell if you have signs of an overactive thyroid like fast heartbeat. If you have an overactive thyroid and stop taking this drug all of a sudden, it may get worse and could be life-threatening. Talk with your doctor. If you have had a very bad allergic reaction, talk with your doctor. You may have a chance of an even worse reaction if you come into contact with what caused your allergy. If you use epinephrine to treat very bad allergic reactions, talk with your doctor. Epinephrine may not work as well while you are taking this drug. Do not stop taking this drug all of a sudden. If you do, chest pain that is worse and in some cases heart attack may occur. The risk may be greater if you have certain types of heart disease. To avoid side effects, you will want to slowly stop this drug as ordered by your doctor. Call your doctor right away if you have new or worse chest pain or if other heart problems occur. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using this drug while you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect: Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat. Signs of a high potassium level like a heartbeat that does not feel normal; change in thinking clearly and with logic; feeling weak, lightheaded, or dizzy; feel like passing out; numbness or tingling; or shortness of breath. Signs of too much acid in the blood (acidosis) like confusion; fast breathing; fast heartbeat; a heartbeat that does not feel normal; very bad stomach pain, upset stomach, or throwing up; feeling very sleepy; shortness of breath; or feeling very tired or weak. Dizziness or passing out. Sweating a lot. Shortness of breath, a big weight gain, or swelling in the arms or legs. Slow heartbeat. A heartbeat that does not feel normal. This drug may cause tissue damage if the drug leaks from the vein. Tell your nurse if you have any redness, burning, pain, swelling, blisters, skin sores, or leaking of fluid where the drug is going into your body.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away: Upset stomach. These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Use this drug as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely. It is given as an infusion into a vein over a period of time.

Call your doctor to find out what to do.

If you need to store this drug at home, talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about how to store it.

If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor. Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs. Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets. Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area. Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. Check with your pharmacist. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider. If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this medicine. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this medicine.