Pindolol - un bêta-bloquant

About pindolol

Pindolol belongs to the group of medicines referred to as beta-blockers. It is a medicine which works on the heart and blood vessels.

Beta-blockers slow down the activity of your heart by stopping messages sent by some nerves to your heart. They do this by blocking tiny areas (called beta-adrenergic receptors) where the messages are received by your heart. As a result, your heart beats more slowly and with less force. This allows the pressure of blood within your blood vessels to be reduced if you have hypertension artérielle (hypertension), and because your heart is using less energy, it helps to reduce chest pain if you have angine de poitrine.

For the treatment of high blood pressure, pindolol can be prescribed as a treatment on its own, or alongside a 'water' tablet (diuretic).

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 pindolol it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si vous êtes enceinte ou si vous allaitez.

• Si vous avez de l'asthme ou tout autre trouble respiratoire.

• Si vous avez des problèmes avec le fonctionnement de vos reins.

• Si vous avez une pression artérielle basse ou une mauvaise circulation.

• If you have diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

• Si vous avez un problème de peau appelé psoriasis.

• Si vous avez une affection provoquant une faiblesse musculaire, appelée myasthénie grave.

• If you have been told you have a slow heartbeat, heart failure, or heart block (a slow and irregular heartbeat).

• Si on vous a dit que vous avez des douleurs thoraciques causées par des spasmes des vaisseaux sanguins de votre cœur, appelées angine de Prinzmetal.

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

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

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

• Take pindolol exactly as your doctor tells you to - the directions will be printed on the label of the pack of tablets to remind you about what the doctor said. You may be asked to take one, two, or three doses each day.

• Your doctor may prescribe you a small dose initially, such as 2.5-5 mg, up to three times a day. As this may mean taking half a tablet, the tablets are scored so that they can be divided into two. If necessary, your doctor will increase your dose slowly over the following few weeks.

• You can take the tablets either before or after meals, but try to take your doses at the same time of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take pindolol regularly.

• Si vous oubliez de prendre une dose, prenez-la dès que vous vous en souvenez (sauf s'il est presque l'heure de votre prochaine dose, auquel cas laissez de côté la dose oubliée). Ne prenez pas deux doses ensemble pour compenser une dose oubliée.

• Essayez de respecter vos rendez-vous réguliers avec votre médecin. Cela permet à votre médecin de suivre vos progrès.

• Treatment with pindolol 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.

• Si vous devez subir une opération ou un traitement dentaire, il est important d'informer la personne effectuant le traitement que vous prenez un bêta-bloquant. Cela est particulièrement important si vous êtes susceptible de recevoir un anesthésique.

• If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor for advice about taking pindolol and alcohol. Alcohol will add to the blood pressure-lowering effect of pindolol 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 pindolol. Some medicines may not be (including some anti-inflammatory painkillers, and cold or flu remedies).

• Your doctor may give you dietary and lifestyle advice about eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and taking regular exercise. If so, it is important that you follow the advice you are given.

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

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 pindolol. 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 que vous pensez être dus aux comprimés, parlez-en à votre médecin ou à votre pharmacien pour obtenir des conseils supplémentaires.

• Gardez 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.