Pindolol is used for the treatment of hypertension. This medication may be used alone or with other medications to treat hypertension. Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent heart attacks, strokes, and kidney problems. Hypertension is a common condition wherein the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems. Anyone can experience hypertension for years without any symptoms. Even without it, the damage to blood vessels and your heart continues and can be detected.
This prescription may also be used to treat angina pectoris. It is a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease. This condition is often described as pressure, squeezing, heaviness, tightness, or pain in your chest. Some people with this condition describe it as feeling like a vise is squeezing their chest or feeling like a heavyweight has been placed on their chest. The symptoms of angina may include:
- Pain in your arms, jaw, neck, shoulder, and back accompanying chest pain
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
Pindolol is in the class of medications called beta-blockers. This blocks the effects of certain natural substances on the heart and blood vessels. This results in a lowering of blood pressure, heart rate, and strain on the heart. Pindolol is a prescription approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is supplied as a tablet for oral use. Each tablet is available in the dosage forms of 5 mg and 10 mg with an active ingredient of Pindolol.
How does Pindolol work?
Pindolol works by blocking beta receptors that are found in various parts of the body. By blocking, it prevents the action of two hormones that are produced naturally by the body called adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones are often referred to as the fight or flight chemicals. These are responsible for the body’s reaction to stressful situations. This drug blocks beta receptors that are found in the heart. This lessens the action of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the heart. In turn, this reduces the pressure at which the blood is pumped out of the heart and around the body which helps to decrease blood pressure.
The action of Pindolol in slowing the rate and force of the heartbeat also lessens the energy used by the heart to pump blood around the body. This reduces the need of the heart for oxygen. Angina is chest pain that occurs because the heart does not get enough oxygen to meet demand. This is usually a result of the hardening or narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Pindolol reduces the workload of the heart and so lessens the amount of oxygen that it needs to pump blood around the body. This helps to prevent angina attacks.
How to use Pindolol?
The prescribed dosage is based on your medical condition and response to the treatment. It is important that you take this medication exactly as it is given by your doctor. You should not take less or more often than the prescription. Your doctor may direct you to start at a lower dose and eventually increase it. Let your doctor know if your condition worsens or does not improve.
Pindolol is to be taken by mouth usually twice a day or as directed by your doctor. You may take each tablet with or without a meal. It may take 1 to 2 weeks before the full benefit of this medication takes effect. It is important to continue taking this even if you feel well. Do not suddenly stop taking Pindolol without the consent of your doctor. To help you remember, take it at the same time and in the same way each day. Swallow the tablet as a whole with a full glass of water. Do not break, chew, or crush it. Drink plenty of fluids while having this treatment. Doing so may lessen the risk of certain side effects. If you missed a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed dose.
What are the side effects of Pindolol?
Common side effects:
- Muscle or joint pain
- Dizziness
- Sleep problems or insomnia
- Feeling tired
Call your doctor right away if you are experiencing the following:
- Slow or uneven heartbeats
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling
- Rapid weight gain
- Unusual changes in mood and behavior
- A light-headed feeling like you might pass out
Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction such as:
- Hives
- Trouble breathing
- Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
Warnings and Precautions
- Pindolol may cause fatigue and dizziness. You should be careful when performing potentially hazardous activities like driving or operating machinery.
- When treatment with this medication is stopped, it should be done gradually usually over 1 to 2 weeks and following the instructions of your doctor.
- If you go to the dentist to have an operation, you should tell the person treating that you are having this treatment. This is because your blood pressure may fall too low if you are given certain types of anesthetics while taking this drug.
- This medication should be used with caution in elderly people, those with decreased liver or kidney function, those with abnormal muscle weakness, and people with the overactive thyroid gland.
- This should also be used with caution in people with a history of heart failure, allergies, or sudden drops in blood sugar levels.
- Pindolol is not to be used in people with a serious defect in the heart’s electrical message pathways, uncontrolled heart failure, and people with a very slow heart rate.
- This should as well not be used in people with a history of asthma, a severe form of chest pain, a severe kidney failure, and people with increased acidity of the blood.
