Lopressor

Why should Lopressor not be prescribed?

If you have a slow heartbeat, certain heart irregularities, low blood pressure, inadequate output from the heart, or heart failure, you should not take this medication.

Special warnings about Lopressor

If you have a history of congestive heart failure, Lopressor should be used with caution. If you are taking the extended release form of this drug, Toprol-XL, to relieve heart failure, the condition may temporarily be worsened as your dosage is increased. Be sure to alert your doctor to any signs of worsening heart failure such as weight gain or increasing shortness of breath. If you have peripheral vascular disease, use Toprol-XL with caution.

Do not stop Lopressor abruptly. This can cause increased chest pain and heart attack. Dosage should be gradually reduced.

If you suffer from asthma, seasonal allergies or other bronchial conditions, or liver disease, this medication should be used with caution.

Ask your doctor if you should check your pulse while taking Lopressor. This medication can cause your heartbeat to become too slow.

This medication may mask some symptoms of low blood sugar in diabetics or alter blood sugar levels. If you are diabetic, discuss this with your doctor.

If you have pheochromocytoma and your doctor prescribes Toprol-XL, you will first need to take an alpha-blocking drug (a different type of blood pressure medication).

Lopressor may cause you to become drowsy or less alert; therefore, driving or operating dangerous machinery or participating in any hazardous activity that requires full mental alertness is not recommended until you know how you respond to this medication.

Notify your doctor or dentist that you are taking Lopressor if you have a medical emergency, or before you have surgery or dental treatment.

Notify your doctor if you have any difficulty in breathing.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Lopressor

If Lopressor is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Lopressor with certain high blood pressure drugs such as reserpine (Ser-Ap-Es).

Other medications that might interact with Lopressor include:

Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin)
Amiodarone (Cordarone)
Barbiturates such as phenobarbital
Calcium channel blockers such as Calan and Cardizem
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Clonidine (Catapres)
Epinephrine (EpiPen)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Hydralazine (Apresoline)
Insulin
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin and Indocin
Oral diabetes drugs such as Glucotrol and Micronase
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Prazosin (Minipress)
Propafenone (Rythmol)
Quinidine (Quinaglute)
Ranitidine (Zantac)
Rifampin (Rifadin)