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Catapres Medication - Uses & Side Effects

Generic Name: Clonidine hydrochloride

CLONIDINE (Catapres®) is an antihypertensive. Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure. It works by decreasing your heart rate and relaxing the blood vessels so that blood can flow more easily through the body. Untreated high blood pressure may cause a stroke, heart failure, or damage to your kidneys. Clonidine may also be used to treat conditions other than hypertension, as determined by your doctor. Clonidine is an oral and topical antihypertensive drug.

Catapres Dosage

• You should be taken the starting dose 0.1 milligram, twice a day.
• Most effective dosages range from 0.2 milligram to 0.6 milligram per day divided into smaller doses. The maximum effective dose is 2.4 milligrams per day.

Uses of Catapres

• It is used to treat Tourette's syndrome, migraine headaches, ulcerative colitis, menopausal hot flashes, alcohol withdrawal.
• Clonidine is also used in several other conditions such as including narcotic and nicotine withdrawal, and diarrhea associated with diabetes.
• Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure.

Side Effects of Catapres

If you are using Clonidine, then discuss the side effects of Clonidine with your doctor and if you feel any develop or change in intensity, then tell your doctor immediately. Side effects may include:

• Agitation
• constipation
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• fatigue
• impotence
• loss of sex drive
• nausea
• nervousness
• sedation
• vomiting
• weakness

Warnings and precautions before taking Catapres:

• If you are taking prescription and nonprescription medications such as including amitriptyline, beta blockers such as includes atenolol, carteolol, labetalol, metoprolol, nadolol, propranolol, sotalol and timolol, then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
• If you have coronary artery disease, kidney disease, or a heart attack, then tell your doctor.
• if you are having surgery such as including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking clonidine.
• You should not be stopped medicine suddenly. Because headache, nervousness, agitation, tremor, confusion, and rapid rise in blood pressure may occur.
• If you are taking catapres, then it may cause some sleepy or drowsiness. So, do not perform any activities that require alertness such as including driving, operating dangerous machinery, or participating in any hazardous activity that requires full mental alertness.

Drug Interaction:- If you are taking certain drugs with Clonidine, then it may be increased, decreased, or altered the effects of Clonidine. Discuss with your doctor before combining Clonidine with the following:

• Barbiturates such as Nembutal and Seconal
• Sedatives such as includes Valium, Xanax, and Halcion
  
• Beta-blocker drugs such as the blood pressure medications Inderal and Lopressor
• Tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil and Tofranil
  
• Calcium blockers such as the heart medications Calan and Cardizem
  Digitalis
  

Overdose

After taking clonidine, if you feel that overdose is suspected, then contact with your doctor immediately. Symptoms of Catapres overdose may include:

• Constriction of pupils of the eye
• weakness
• slowed reflexes
• low body temperature
• drowsiness
• slowed heartbeat
• high blood pressure followed by a drop in pressure
• slowed breathing
• irritability