Hot PLR Content Marketing Christmas Island: clonidine transdermal

Generic Name: clonidine (transdermal) (KLOE ni deen)

Brand Names: Catapres-TTS-1, Catapres-TTS-2, Catapres-TTS-3

What is clonidine transdermal?

Clonidine lowers blood pressure by decreasing the levels of certain chemicals in your blood. This allows your blood vessels to relax and your heart to beat more slowly and easily.

Clonidine transdermal is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). It is sometimes used together with other blood pressure medications.

Clonidine transdermal may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about clonidine transdermal?

Before using clonidine transdermal, tell your doctor if you have heart disease or severe coronary artery disease, a heart rhythm disorder, a history of heart attack or stroke, or kidney disease. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products.

Clonidine skin patches come with optional "cover" patches. The cover patch is placed over the clonidine patch to help it stick to your skin. The cover patch does not contain any active medicine. It should be worn only over a clonidine patch.

Clonidine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

The clonidine transdermal patch may burn your skin if you wear the patch during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Remove the clonidine patch before undergoing such a test.

Tell any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you that you are using clonidine transdermal. If you need emergency heart resuscitation, your family or caregivers should tell emergency medical personnel if you are wearing a clonidine skin patch. The patch should be removed before any electrical equipment (such as a defribrillator) is used on you.

Do not stop using clonidine transdermal suddenly, or you could have unpleasant or life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop using clonidine transdermal.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using clonidine transdermal?

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to clonidine.

To make sure you can safely take clonidine transdermal, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

heart disease or severe coronary artery disease;

a heart rhythm disorder;

a history of heart attack or stroke;

kidney disease; or

if you have ever had an allergic reaction to clonidine transdermal.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether clonidine transdermal is harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Clonidine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use clonidine transdermal?

Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Before applying a skin patch, wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly. Also wash and dry the skin area where you plan to apply the patch. Rinse and wipe dry with a clean tissue.

Apply the skin patch to a flat, hairless area of the chest, back, side, or outer side of your upper arm. To remove any hair from these areas, clip the hair short but do not shave it. Press the patch firmly with the palm making sure it sticks firmly, especially around the edges.

You will wear the patch for 7 days and then remove it and put on a new one. Apply the new patch to a different skin area on your arm or torso. Do not apply patches to the same skin area 2 weeks in a row. Do not wear more than 1 patch at a time unless your doctor has told you to.

Clonidine skin patches come with optional "cover" patches. The cover patch is placed over the clonidine patch to help it stick to your skin. The clonidine patch is square and the cover patch is round. The cover patch does not contain any active medicine. It should be worn only over a clonidine patch.

You may use a cover patch if the clonidine patch becomes loose or falls off before you have worn it for 7 days. Apply the cover patch over the clonidine patch. Keep both patches on for the rest of your 7-day wearing time.

After removing a skin patch fold it in half, sticky side in, and throw it away where children and pets cannot get to it.

The clonidine transdermal patch may burn your skin if you wear the patch during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Remove the clonidine patch before undergoing such a test.

Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep each skin patch in the foil pouch until you are ready to use it.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Apply a skin patch as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra patches to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath) followed by low blood pressure (feeling light-headed, fainting), drowsiness, cold feeling, slow heart rate, shallow breathing, weakness, fainting, or pinpoint pupils.

What should I avoid while using clonidine transdermal?

Avoid using lotions, oils, or other skin products on the area where you will apply the skin patch. The patch may not stick properly to the skin.

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of clonidine transdermal. Clonidine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Clonidine transdermal side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

fast or pounding heartbeats;

a very slow heart rate (fewer than 60 beats per minute);

feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;

swelling, rapid weight gain;

confusion, hallucinations;

fever, pale skin;

urinating less than usual or not at all;

numbness or cold feeling in your hands or feet;

feeling like you might pass out; or

severe skin irritation, redness, swelling, burning, or blistering where the patch is worn.

Less serious side effects may include:

feeling dizzy, drowsy, tired, or nervous;

dry mouth;

dry or burning eyes, blurred vision;

headache, muscle or joint pain;

nausea, vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite;

sleep problems (insomnia);

urinating more at night;

mild skin rash or itching;

decreased sex drive, impotence; or

skin rash, discoloration, or mild irritation where the patch is worn.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Clonidine Dosing Information

Usual Adult Dose for Hypertension:

Initial dose (PO): 0.1 mg orally twice a day (morning and bedtime).
Maintenance dose: 0.2 to 0.6 mg/day given in divided doses.

Initial dose (patches):Clonidine TTS-1 (0.1 mg/24 hr) applied once a week.
Maintenance dose: If after 1 to 2 weeks the desired reduction in blood pressure is not achieved, increase the dosage by adding another TTS-1 film or changing to a larger system.
An increase in dosage above 2 clonidine TTS-3 films is usually not associated with additional efficacy.

Extended-release tablets:
Initial dose: 0.17 mg orally once daily at bedtime. Further increments of 0.09 mg orally once daily may be made at weekly intervals if necessary until the desired response is achieved.
Maintenance dose: 0.17 mg to 0.52 mg orally once daily at bedtime

Extended-release oral suspension:
Initial dose: 0.17 mg (2 mL) orally once daily at bedtime. Further increments of 0.09 mg (1 mL) orally once daily may be made at weekly intervals if necessary until the desired response is achieved.
Maintenance dose: 0.17 mg to 0.52 mg orally once daily at bedtime

Usual Adult Dose for Pain:

Continuous Epidural Infusion:
Initial dose: 30 mcg/hr.
May be titrated up or down depending on pain relief and occurrence of adverse events.
Maximum dose 40 mcg/hr.

Usual Adult Dose for Pheochromocytoma Diagnosis:

0.3 mg orally once. Clonidine is only recommended after baseline determination of plasma catecholamines. Two baseline samples can be obtained five minutes apart from an existing IV line after the patient has remained supine for 90 minutes (a new needle stick could increase catecholamine concentrations and foul the test).

After the initial dose of clonidine, three additional hourly blood samples may be obtained for plasma catecholamine concentration measurements.

Generally, patients with hypertension and pheochromocytoma do NOT show a decrease in plasma catecholamine levels after this "suppression test", whereas hypertensive patients without pheochromocytoma do. False negative tests have been reported.

Usual Adult Dose for Hypertensive Emergency:

0.2 mg orally once. Additional doses of 0.1 mg may be given as needed and tolerated every hour to control this patient's blood pressure. Be cognizant of the risk of stroke or heart attack or other problem associated with aggressive blood pressure reduction, especially in older persons. The maximum recommended total daily dose in any case of emergent hypertension is 0.8 mg.

Some clinicians report a poor antihypertensive effect of clonidine in patients with spinal injuries since this drug acts on the central nervous system to inhibit peripheral sympathetic tone, and the central and peripheral nervous systems are disrupted in these patients.

Usual Adult Dose for Alcohol Withdrawal: