Bisoprolol - un bêta-bloquant

About bisoprolol

Bisoprolol belongs to the group of medicines referred to as beta-blockers. Bisoprolol works on the heart and blood vessels. It does this by blocking tiny areas (called beta-adrenergic receptors) where messages sent by some nerves are received by your heart and blood vessels. As a result, your heart beats more slowly and with less force. The pressure of blood within your blood vessels is reduced and it is easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.

These actions are of benefit if you have high blood pressure (hypertension), or if you have heart failure which is a condition where your heart is not working as well as it should. Because your heart is using less energy, it also helps to reduce chest pain if you have angina.

Before taking bisoprolol

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking bisoprolol it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si vous êtes enceinte ou si vous allaitez.

• Si vous souffrez d'asthme ou de tout autre trouble respiratoire.

• Si vous avez des problèmes de fonctionnement du foie ou des reins.

• Si vous souffrez d'hypotension ou d'une mauvaise circulation sanguine.

• Si vous êtes diabétique.

• Si vous souffrez d'un problème de peau appelé psoriasis.

• Si vous souffrez d'une maladie entraînant une faiblesse musculaire, appelée myasthénie grave.

• Si l'on vous a dit que vous aviez un rythme cardiaque lent ou un bloc cardiaque (un rythme cardiaque lent et irrégulier).

• Si l'on vous a dit que vous souffriez de douleurs thoraciques causées par des spasmes des vaisseaux sanguins du cœur, appelées angine de Prinzmetal.

• Si vous prenez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments que vous prenez et qui sont disponibles sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et les médicaments complémentaires.

• Si vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un médicament, ou si vous avez déjà eu une autre réaction allergique grave.
  

How to take bisoprolol

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about bisoprolol and will provide you with a full list of side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take bisoprolol exactly as your doctor tells you to. The usual dose is one tablet each day, although the strength of your tablet will depend upon the reason why you are taking it. If you are taking it for heart failure, you will be started on a low-strength tablet (1.25 mg) and then you will be prescribed a different strength of tablet each week for the first few weeks. This is so your doctor can increase your dose gradually. Your dose and the strength of the tablets will be on the label of the pack. There are several strengths of tablet available: 1.25 mg, 2.5 mg, 3.75 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg and 10 mg. Each time you collect a fresh supply of tablets it is a good idea to check to make sure you receive the strength you are expecting. If you have any questions, please ask your pharmacist to advise you.

• You can take the tablets either with or without food, but try to take your doses at the same time of day each day as this will help you to remember to take bisoprolol regularly. The tablets are best swallowed in the morning with a drink of water.

• Si vous oubliez de prendre une dose, prenez-la dès que vous vous en rendez compte. Si vous ne vous en rendez compte que le lendemain, ne prenez pas la dose oubliée de la veille et prenez la dose prévue normalement. Ne prenez pas deux doses en même temps pour compenser une dose oubliée.

Tirer le meilleur parti de votre traitement

• Essayez de vous rendre à vos rendez-vous réguliers avec votre médecin. Il pourra ainsi vérifier vos progrès.

• Si vous devez subir une opération ou un traitement dentaire, il est important d'informer la personne chargée du traitement que vous prenez un bêta-bloquant. Ceci est particulièrement important si vous êtes susceptible d'être anesthésié.

• If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor for advice about taking bisoprolol and alcohol. Alcohol will add to the blood pressure-lowering effect of bisoprolol which will make you feel dizzy and so may not be recommended for you.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take with bisoprolol. Some medicines may not be (including some anti-inflammatory painkillers, and cold or flu remedies).

• Votre médecin peut vous donner des conseils en matière de régime alimentaire et de mode de vie : manger sainement, ne pas fumer et faire de l'exercice régulièrement. Dans ce cas, il est important que vous suiviez ces conseils.

• If you have diabetes, bisoprolol can block the symptoms of low blood sugar. Your doctor will advise you about this.

• Treatment with bisoprolol is usually long-term. Continue to take the tablets unless your doctor tells you to stop. Stopping treatment suddenly can cause problems in some people, so your doctor may want you to reduce your dose gradually if this becomes necessary.

Can bisoprolol cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with bisoprolol. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Si vous ressentez d'autres symptômes qui pourraient être dus aux comprimés, demandez conseil à votre médecin ou à votre pharmacien.

How to store bisoprolol

• Conservez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.

Informations importantes sur tous les médicaments