In this week’s episode of Know Your Drug, Bryan Kudlawiec and Greg Hare discuss the medication Metoprolol, also known as Lopressor or Toprol XL. Metoprolol is prescribed to treat a wide variety of disease states, but today Bryan and Greg talk about its importance in treating hypertension or high blood pressure. They highlight some of the important points of this disease state and risks involved with it. Discussion on how Metoprolol works to help decrease blood pressure and other important information such as side effects, monitoring parameters, and common usage. This information is general guidelines and is not meant to replace physician orders. Patients using Metoprolol should use this medication according to their prescriber!
Hello my name is brian locke and i’m greg hair and we are the brothers of professional pharmacy fraternity phi delta chi beta gamma chapter located here duquesne university in pittsburgh pennsylvania in today’s episode another drug will be discussing metoprolol metoprolol is prepared to oral dosage forms known either as lopressor or the extended-release version
Known as tocrawl xl the tokelau is commonly prescribed to treat many health conditions which include hypertension or high blood pressure angina or chest pain congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction commonly referred to as heart attack today we’ll be highlighting the importance of using the thoth below in the treatment of high blood pressure hypertension
Is the most common primary diagnosis in the united states in which over 50 million americans are currently identified as having it with many others being undiagnosed the national institute of health estimates this is nearly one in three american adults hypertension is commonly referred to as the silent killer since normally no signs or symptoms are present this
Silent killer is a major reason why so many people are left undiagnosed however the disease affects almost every organ system in our bodies and if left untreated can cause many complications further down the road when speaking about hypertension there are several things to keep in mind first there are two components to understanding a blood pressure reading
The top member or systolic blood pressure measures the pressure when the heart is beating or pumping the bottom number or the diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure when the heart is at rest or between beats normal blood pressures are less than 120 over 80 pre-hypertensive patients either have systolic blood pressures between 120 and 139 or diastolic
Pressures between 80 and 89 hypertensive patients have systolic pressures either greater than 140 or diastolic pressures greater than 90 if left uncontrolled over time high blood pressure damages the arteries or vessels that carry blood through our bodies which can lead to problems with vision such as blindness heart attacks stroke heart failure and kidney damage
To name a few complications the total as stated previously is commonly prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure taupey law is a member of the class of drugs known as beta adrenergic receptor antagonists more commonly referred to as beta blockers these drugs work to block sympathetic stimulation mediated by beta-1 adrenergic receptors located both in
The heart and vascular smooth muscle which surrounds the blood vessels by blocking these aspects a decrease in both rusting and exercise blood pressure are observed in other words the tocqueville helps to reduce the workload of the heart which in turn decreases the risk for more serious complications metoprolol is this in wide variety of ways tailored by your
Prescriber tocrawl excel is prescribed to be taken once daily whereas lopressor is prescribed to be taken once or twice daily dose even metoprolol is highly individualized and therapy must not be discontinued unless under the advisement of your physician it is important to take your scheduled doses in order to receive the maximum benefits from your drug therapy
Especially since science and symptoms of feeling better usually are not present while taking this drug when first starting metoprolol it’s important to maintain your follow-up visits with your physician to ensure drug effectiveness without serious side-effects it is crucial for individuals to continually have their blood pressure monitor in order to determine if
There is an adequate response in taking the medication if not your doctor may need to increase your dose of metoprolol or switch to a different medication while taking metoprolol there are some common side effects you will want to be aware of which include tiredness dizziness depression nausea vomiting impotence and hypotension or low blood pressure some more
Serious side effects include shortness of breath wheezing a rapid pounding heartbeat swelling of the hands feet ankles or lower legs and fainting notify your physician immediately if any of these serious side effects occur it is also important to note that if you happen to miss a dose of metoprolol that you take the missed dose as soon as you remember however if
It is almost time for your next dose skip the dose you missed and do not double up on doses as this can cause serious side effects as mentioned above some potential drug interactions to be mindful of include the use of nsaids such as ibuprofen or naproxen which may result in a decreased effect and lowering blood pressure and taking medications such as amiodarone
Bupropion darvocet and others which are all metabolized by the same enzyme and can result in a much greater antihypertensive effect from a doper law avoid the consumption of alcohol while taking medications such as metoprolol as you may notice a greater decrease in blood pressure notify your doctor or pharmacist defining prescription herbal or otc medications you
Take to ensure that there are no serious interactions with your medications if used appropriately whether alone or in combination with other medications metoprolol has been proven effective in lowering blood pressure in turn this will reduce the risk for further complications such as heart attack angina or congestive heart failure it is also important to include
Lifestyle modifications such as limiting sodium intake proper diet and regular exercise these lifestyle modifications have shown tremendous efficacy in lowering blood pressure always remember pharmacist other drug experts utilize them to ensure you are receiving the best pharmaceutical care possible and to know your drug on behalf of i delta chi and duquesne
University’s milan school of pharmacy my name is brian locke and i’m dregg hair and this has been no your drug
Transcribed from video
Metoprolol (Lopressor or Toprol XL) – Know Your Drug By Phi Delta Chi Beta Gamma
