Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Slower than normal heart beat (bradycardia)

Inability of the heart to pump blood efficiently (heart failure)

Disturbed sleep

Fatigue

Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain

Dizziness

Breathing difficulties due to a narrowing of the airways (bronchospasm)

Cold extremities, eg hands and feet

Rash

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

When taken together with medicines that decrease blood pressure there is an increased risk of a large drop in blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of extremely slow heart rate when pindolol is taken with digoxin. In diabetic patients, pindolol can prolong the lowering of blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) caused by insulin or other antidiabetic medicines. Individuals should monitor their blood sugar, as pindolol can also mask the signs of hypoglycaemia. When pindolol is taken together with calcium channel blockers such as verapamil or diltiazem, the risk of slow heart rate, hypotension and heart failure may be increased. Verapamil should not be taken with this medicine and other calcium channel blockers should not be given intravenously. When taken with calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine there may be a risk of very low blood pressure. If pindolol is taken together with clonidine, there is a risk of a rebound increase in blood pressure if clonidine is stopped. Pindolol should be stopped several days before slowly stopping the clonidine. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as indomethacin may reduce the antihypertensive effects of pindolol. Care should be taken when adrenaline is given with pindolol as this combination can cause severely high blood pressure and slow heart rate. The use of certain anaesthetics with pindolol may increase the risk of low blood pressure and slow heart rate. Anti-arrhythmic medicines such as amiodarone or dipyridamole may increase the risk of slow heart rate when taken with this medicine. Hydralazine decreases the removal of pindolol from the body. This can result in increased blood levels and is a useful additive effect in treating high blood pressure. Pindolol may oppose the airway opening effect of beta-agonist bronchodilators such as salbutamol. It may also decrease the effectiveness of medicines used to treat severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) such as adrenaline.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredients

Visken tablets

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