Bisoprolol Fumarate

💊 What is Bisoprolol Fumarate used for?

• •High blood pressure (hypertension)
• •May be used alone or together with other blood pressure medicines

How it works

The label describes bisoprolol fumarate as a beta-blocker that is selective for beta 1 receptors, which are mainly found in the heart. The label does not explain the full mechanism in further detail.

How it is usually taken

• •Taken by mouth as a tablet, once daily according to the label.
• •The label says the dose must be individualized to each patient, so the amount is set by the prescriber.
• •Follow the instructions from your prescriber or pharmacist about how to take it.

Comes as

• •10 mg tablets: white, round, coated tablets, plain on one side and marked with 'Λ' and 'F2' on the other side
• •Sold in bottles of 30, 90, 120, or 180 tablets

⚠️ Bisoprolol Fumarate side effects

🛑 Who should not take Bisoprolol Fumarate, and who should be careful

The label says not to take it if

• 🚨You have cardiogenic shock.
• 🚨You have overt cardiac failure.
• 🚨You have second or third degree AV block.
• 🚨You have marked sinus bradycardia.

Tell your doctor before taking it if

• •Do not stop taking this medicine without a physician's supervision. Stopping suddenly can worsen angina and, in some cases, cause heart attack or ventricular arrhythmia, especially in people with coronary artery disease.
• •The label says the medicine may need to be tapered over about one week, with careful observation.
• •Tell your prescriber if you have heart failure, since beta-blockers can further weaken heart muscle contraction.
• •Tell your prescriber if you have asthma or other bronchospastic disease. The label says these patients should, in general, not receive beta-blockers, but bisoprolol may be used with caution if other treatments are not suitable.
• •Tell your prescriber if you have diabetes or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Beta-blockers may hide some signs of low blood sugar, particularly a fast heartbeat.
• •Tell your prescriber if you have an overactive thyroid (thyrotoxicosis), since the medicine may mask its signs.
• •Tell your prescriber if you have peripheral vascular disease, since beta-blockers can worsen symptoms of arterial insufficiency.
• •Tell your prescriber if you are scheduled for major surgery. The label says the medicine should not be routinely stopped before major surgery.
• •Know how you react to this medicine before driving, operating machinery, or doing other tasks that need alertness.

🔀 Bisoprolol Fumarate with other medicines, food and alcohol

The label says to discuss these with your doctor or pharmacist

• •Do not combine with other beta-blocking agents.
• •People taking catecholamine-depleting drugs such as reserpine or guanethidine should be closely monitored, because the combined effect may cause excessive reduction of sympathetic activity.
• •The label mentions concurrent use with clonidine and says that, if clonidine is to be stopped, a specific approach is suggested (the full text was not provided here).
• •People taking insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents should be cautious, as the medicine may mask signs of low blood sugar.

Alcohol and food

The label does not say.

🤰 Bisoprolol Fumarate in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Pregnancy

The label does not say.

Breastfeeding

The label says small amounts (less than 2% of the dose) were found in the milk of lactating rats. It is not known whether the drug passes into human milk, so caution is advised when it is given to nursing women.

🗓️ Storage, missed doses and taking too much

Storage

The label does not say.

If a dose is missed

The label does not say.

If too much is taken

The most common signs of a beta-blocker overdose are slow heartbeat (bradycardia), low blood pressure (hypotension), heart failure, bronchospasm, and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). The label reports a few overdose cases, where bradycardia and/or hypotension occurred, and all patients recovered. If an overdose is suspected, get medical help right away.

🗒️ Questions to ask about Bisoprolol Fumarate

• Should I bring a list of all my other medicines to my appointment, since some can interact with this one?
• What should I do if I feel short of breath or my legs swell?
• Is there a reason I should not stop this medicine suddenly, given my heart or blood vessel health?
• How will this medicine affect my blood sugar if I have diabetes?
• Should I avoid driving until I know how this medicine affects me?
• Do I need to tell my surgeon or dentist that I take this medicine?

❓ Bisoprolol Fumarate: frequently asked questions