Experiences with
Carvedilol

ContraindicationsHow it's used (previously Dosage and administration)Side effectsPregnancyInteractions

Carvedilol is not suitable for some people. For example, check with your doctor if you have asthma, low blood pressure or a liver problem.

Carvedilol comes as tablets you usually take once or twice a day. Follow the instructions that come with your medicine.

Common side effects of carvedilol include feeling tired or dizzy and feeling or being sick. More serious side effects can happen in rare cases.

Carvedilol is not often taken during pregnancy. Always check with a pharmacist or doctor.

It can cause problems to take carvedilol with some other medicines, such as medicines for asthma or diabetes. Check with a pharmacist or doctor.

Who can take carvedilol

Most adults can take carvedilol.

It can sometimes be prescribed by a specialist for children aged 2 years old and over.

Who may not be able to take carvedilol

Carvedilol is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor before starting to take it if you have:

ever had an allergic reaction to carvedilol or any other medicine
lung disease or asthma
heart failure that's getting worse
low blood pressure (hypotension) or a slow heart rate
a liver problem
serious circulation problems in your arms and legs, such as Raynaud's

How to take carvedilol

When you start taking carvedilol, your doctor may advise you to take your first dose just before you go to bed. This is because it can make you feel dizzy.

After the first dose, if you do not feel dizzy, you can take your medicine in the morning. If you do feel dizzy, it's best to keep taking your medicine at bedtime.

It's best to take carvedilol at the same time each day.

If you take it twice a day, you'll usually have 1 dose in the morning and 1 dose in the evening. Leave 10 to 12 hours between doses if you can.

Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water. Do not chew or crush them.

Carvedilol does not usually make you feel sick, so you can take it with or without food. However, if you're taking carvedilol for heart failure, it's best to take the tablets with food. This will help reduce the risk of you feeling dizzy or faint when you stand up.

If you find tablets difficult to swallow, some tablets have a line across them to help you break them in half. Check the information leaflet that comes with your medicine to see if you can do this.

Common side effects of carvedilol

These common side effects of carvedilol may happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually mild and last a few days after starting the medicine or increasing your dose. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

As your body gets used to carvedilol, these side effects should wear off.

If carvedilol makes you feel dizzy, stop what you're doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery until you feel better. Avoid alcohol as it will make you feel worse.

Put your hands or feet under warm running water, massage them, and wiggle your fingers and toes. Do not smoke or have drinks with caffeine, as this can make your blood vessels narrower and further restrict blood flow to your hands and feet.

Try wearing mittens (they're warmer than gloves) and warm socks. Do not wear tight watches or bracelets.

Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food. It might help to take your carvedilol after a meal or snack.

Drink plenty of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Take small, frequent sips if you're being sick. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee.

Do not take any other medicines to treat vomiting without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.

If you take the combined contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill and you're being sick, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet to find out what to do.

Drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee.

Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.

If you take the combined contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill and you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet to find out what to do.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Carvedilol and pregnancy

Carvedilol is not usually recommended if you're pregnant because similar medicines with more safety information are available.

If you're trying to get pregnant or you're already pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether switching to another medicine, such as labetalol or nifedipine, is right for you.

Carvedilol and breastfeeding

If your doctor, midwife or health visitor says your baby is healthy, it's OK to take carvedilol if you're breastfeeding.

It's not known how much carvedilol gets into breast milk, but it's only likely to be low levels, and your baby will not be able to absorb a lot into their body from the breast milk. It's unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby.

It's important to keep taking carvedilol to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby.

As a precaution, call 111 or talk to your health visitor, midwife, doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you have any concerns about your baby. This includes:

not feeding as well as usual, or not putting on weight as you would expect
diarrhoea or being sick (vomiting)
looking paler than usual
being irritable
being unusually sleepy

Cautions with other medicines

There are some medicines that can affect the way carvedilol works.

Tell your doctor if you're taking:

other medicines for high blood pressure – when taken together with carvedilol, they can sometimes lower your blood pressure too much
other medicines that can lower your blood pressure – these include some antidepressants, nitrates (for chest pain), baclofen (a muscle relaxant), medicines for an enlarged prostate gland like tamsulosin, or levodopa (for Parkinson's disease)
medicines for an irregular heartbeat such as digoxin, amiodarone or flecainide
medicines for asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
medicines for diabetes, particularly insulin – carvedilol may lower your blood sugar too much when taken with diabetes medicines, and may make it more difficult to recognise the warning signs of low blood sugar. Speak to your doctor if you have low blood sugar levels without getting any warning signs. Check your blood sugar after exercise, and follow usual advice about checking it before driving, or operating machinery
medicines that treat nose or sinus congestion, or other cold remedies (including those you can buy in the pharmacy)
medicines for allergies, such as ephedrine, noradrenaline or adrenaline
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, diclofenac or naproxen – these medicines may increase your blood pressure
ciclosporin, used for immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis