Inderal LA 120mg Capsules
Overview
What is this medicine?
How to Use This Medicine
To ensure you get the most benefit from your medication, follow these guidelines:
Take your medication exactly as directed by your doctor. Read all the information provided with your prescription and follow the instructions carefully.
Some medications must be taken with food, while others should be taken on an empty stomach. If you're unsure, consult with your pharmacist for guidance on the best way to take your medication.
Swallow the capsule whole; do not chew, break, or crush it.
Continue taking your medication as prescribed by your doctor or healthcare provider, even if you start to feel better.
Storing and Disposing of Your Medication
To maintain the effectiveness and safety of your medication:
Store it at room temperature, avoiding freezing temperatures.
Protect the medication from heat, cold, and light.
Keep the container lid tightly closed.
What to Do If You Miss a Dose
If you miss a dose, follow these steps:
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember.
If it's close to the time for your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and resume your regular dosing schedule.
Do not take two doses at the same time or take extra doses to make up for the missed one.
Lifestyle & Tips
- Take medication consistently at the same time each day.
- Do not stop taking this medication suddenly without consulting your doctor, as it can worsen your condition.
- Monitor your blood pressure and heart rate regularly as advised by your doctor.
- Avoid or limit alcohol consumption, as it can increase side effects.
- Avoid activities requiring mental alertness until you know how the medication affects you (e.g., driving).
- Maintain a healthy diet, regular exercise, and manage stress to support cardiovascular health.
- Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking propranolol before any surgery or dental procedures.
Available Forms & Alternatives
Available Strengths:
Generic Alternatives:
Dosing & Administration
Adult Dosing
Condition-Specific Dosing:
Pediatric Dosing
Dose Adjustments
Renal Impairment:
Hepatic Impairment:
Pharmacology
Mechanism of Action
Pharmacokinetics
Absorption:
Distribution:
Elimination:
Pharmacodynamics
Safety & Warnings
BLACK BOX WARNING
Side Effects
Although rare, some people may experience severe and potentially life-threatening side effects while taking this medication. If you notice any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor or seek medical help right away:
Signs of an allergic reaction, such as:
+ Rash
+ Hives
+ Itching
+ Red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin (with or without fever)
+ Wheezing
+ Tightness in the chest or throat
+ Trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking
+ Unusual hoarseness
+ Swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat
Signs of low blood sugar, including:
+ Dizziness
+ Headache
+ Feeling sleepy
+ Feeling weak
+ Shaking
+ Fast heartbeat
+ Confusion
+ Hunger
+ Sweating
Signs of lupus, such as:
+ Rash on the cheeks or other body parts
+ Easy sunburn
+ Muscle or joint pain
+ Chest pain or shortness of breath
+ Swelling in the arms or legs
Severe dizziness or fainting
New or worsening chest pain
Slow heartbeat
Abnormal heartbeat
Shortness of breath
Sudden weight gain
Swelling in the arms or legs
Confusion
Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
Memory problems or loss
Depression or other mood changes
Burning, numbness, or tingling sensations
Feeling cold in the arms or legs
Changes in skin color (pale, blue, gray, purple, or red)
Changes in eyesight
Unexplained bruising or bleeding
Fever, chills, or sore throat
Erectile dysfunction
Severe skin reactions, including:
+ Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)
+ Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)
+ Other severe skin reactions, characterized by:
- Red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin
- Skin irritation (with or without fever)
- Red or irritated eyes
- Sores in the mouth, throat, nose, or eyes
Other Side Effects
Most people experience few or no side effects while taking this medication. However, if you notice any of the following side effects, contact your doctor or seek medical help if they bother you or do not go away:
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Fatigue
Weakness
Upset stomach or vomiting
Stomach pain or cramps
Diarrhea or constipation
Sleep disturbances
* Vivid or unusual dreams
Reporting Side Effects
This is not an exhaustive list of possible side effects. If you have questions or concerns about side effects, contact your doctor. You can also report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088 or online at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention If You Experience:
- Severe dizziness or fainting
- Very slow heart rate (less than 50 beats per minute)
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or new or worsening shortness of breath
- Swelling in your ankles, feet, or hands
- Unusual weight gain
- Chest pain or discomfort (especially if you stop the medication suddenly)
- Severe fatigue or weakness
- Signs of depression (e.g., persistent sadness, loss of interest)
- Coldness, numbness, or tingling in your hands or feet
Before Using This Medicine
It is essential to inform your doctor about the following:
Any allergies you have, including allergies to this medication, its components, or other substances, such as foods or drugs. Be sure to describe the symptoms you experienced.
Certain heart conditions, including:
+ Abnormal heart rhythms (heart block or sick-sinus syndrome)
+ Heart failure (a weakened heart)
+ Low blood pressure
+ Poor blood circulation to your arms or legs
+ Shock caused by heart problems
+ A slow heartbeat
* Respiratory issues, such as:
+ Asthma
+ Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or other breathing problems
This list is not exhaustive, and it is crucial to discuss all your medications (prescription, over-the-counter, natural products, and vitamins) and health conditions with your doctor and pharmacist. They will help determine if it is safe to take this medication with your existing treatments and health status. Never start, stop, or adjust the dosage of any medication without consulting your doctor first.
Precautions & Cautions
It is essential to inform all your healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists, that you are taking this medication.
Caution with Daily Activities
Until you know how this medication affects you, avoid driving and other activities that require alertness. To minimize the risk of dizziness or fainting, get up slowly from a sitting or lying down position, and be cautious when climbing stairs.
Monitoring and Lab Tests
Follow your doctor's instructions for monitoring your blood pressure and heart rate. Be aware that this medication may affect certain laboratory tests, so inform all your healthcare providers and lab personnel that you are taking this medication.
Interactions with Other Substances
Discuss with your doctor before consuming alcohol. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about the potential risks. This medication may mask some symptoms of low blood sugar, such as rapid heartbeat, which can increase the risk of severe or prolonged low blood sugar, particularly in people with diabetes, children, and those who are fasting or have undergone surgery.
Special Considerations
If you have diabetes, closely monitor your blood sugar levels. Do not stop taking this medication abruptly, as this can lead to worsened chest pain or even heart attack, especially if you have certain types of heart disease. To avoid side effects, your doctor will instruct you on how to gradually stop taking this medication. If you experience new or worsening chest pain or other heart problems, contact your doctor immediately.
Thyroid and Blood Pressure Considerations
This medication may make it more challenging to recognize symptoms of an overactive thyroid, such as rapid heartbeat. If you have an overactive thyroid and stop taking this medication suddenly, your condition may worsen and become life-threatening. If you have high blood pressure, consult your doctor before taking over-the-counter products that may increase blood pressure, such as cough and cold medications, diet pills, stimulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen, and certain natural products or aids.
Allergic Reactions and Epinephrine
If you have a history of severe allergic reactions, discuss with your doctor the potential risks of an even more severe reaction if you are exposed to the allergen again. If you use epinephrine to treat severe allergic reactions, inform your doctor, as epinephrine may be less effective while taking this medication.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding, consult your doctor to discuss the benefits and risks of taking this medication to you and your baby.
Overdose Information
Overdose Symptoms:
- Severe bradycardia (very slow heart rate)
- Severe hypotension (very low blood pressure)
- Cardiogenic shock
- Heart failure
- Bronchospasm (difficulty breathing)
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Seizures
- Coma
What to Do:
Seek immediate medical attention. Call 911 or your local emergency number. For poison control, call 1-800-222-1222.
Drug Interactions
Contraindicated Interactions
- MAO inhibitors (risk of severe hypertension)
- Thioridazine (increased thioridazine levels, risk of QT prolongation and arrhythmias)
- Diazoxide (enhanced hypotensive effect)
Major Interactions
- Non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil, diltiazem - risk of severe bradycardia, heart block, heart failure)
- Digoxin (additive bradycardia)
- Clonidine (risk of rebound hypertension upon clonidine withdrawal if propranolol is not tapered first)
- Insulin and oral hypoglycemics (masking of hypoglycemia symptoms, prolonged hypoglycemia)
- Sympathomimetics (e.g., epinephrine, norepinephrine - unopposed alpha-adrenergic stimulation, severe hypertension, bradycardia)
- Fingolimod (additive bradycardia)
- Prazosin (first-dose syncope risk)
Moderate Interactions
- NSAIDs (may reduce antihypertensive effect)
- Phenytoin, phenobarbital, rifampin (may decrease propranolol levels)
- Cimetidine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, quinidine (may increase propranolol levels)
- Lidocaine (increased lidocaine levels)
- Warfarin (potential for altered INR, monitor closely)
- Alcohol (additive CNS depression, increased propranolol levels)
Minor Interactions
- Antacids (may decrease propranolol absorption, separate administration)
- Tobacco smoking (may decrease propranolol levels)
Monitoring
Baseline Monitoring
Rationale: To establish baseline and guide initial dosing.
Timing: Prior to initiation.
Rationale: To establish baseline and assess for bradycardia.
Timing: Prior to initiation.
Rationale: To assess for pre-existing conduction abnormalities.
Timing: Prior to initiation, especially in patients with cardiac history.
Rationale: To assess baseline kidney function, especially important for dose adjustments in severe impairment.
Timing: Prior to initiation.
Rationale: To assess baseline liver function, critical for dose adjustments in hepatic impairment.
Timing: Prior to initiation.
Rationale: To establish baseline, especially in diabetic patients, due to potential for masking hypoglycemia.
Timing: Prior to initiation.
Routine Monitoring
Frequency: Regularly (e.g., weekly initially, then monthly or quarterly once stable)
Target: <130/80 mmHg (or individualized target)
Action Threshold: Systolic BP <90 mmHg or symptomatic hypotension; BP consistently above target.
Frequency: Regularly (e.g., weekly initially, then monthly or quarterly once stable)
Target: 50-60 bpm (resting)
Action Threshold: <50 bpm or symptomatic bradycardia.
Frequency: At each visit
Target: Absence of new or worsening symptoms
Action Threshold: Development of dyspnea, edema, weight gain.
Frequency: Regularly, as per diabetes management plan
Target: Individualized
Action Threshold: Frequent or severe hypoglycemic episodes.
Symptom Monitoring
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Fatigue
- Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
- Wheezing (bronchospasm)
- Cold extremities
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Sexual dysfunction
- Signs of worsening heart failure (e.g., swelling, weight gain, increased shortness of breath)
- Symptoms of hypoglycemia (e.g., sweating, tremor, palpitations - note: these may be masked)
Special Patient Groups
Pregnancy
Propranolol crosses the placenta. Use during pregnancy should only be considered if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. Neonates exposed to beta-blockers in utero may be at risk for bradycardia, hypoglycemia, and respiratory depression. Monitor neonates for these effects for the first few days of life.
Trimester-Specific Risks:
Lactation
Propranolol is excreted into breast milk. While the amount is generally low, monitor breastfed infants for signs of beta-blockade (e.g., bradycardia, lethargy, poor feeding, hypoglycemia). Use with caution, especially in preterm or unstable infants. Consider alternative agents if possible.
Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness of Inderal LA in pediatric patients have not been established. Immediate-release propranolol is used in pediatric populations for specific indications (e.g., infantile hemangioma, certain arrhythmias), but dosing and monitoring differ significantly.
Geriatric Use
Elderly patients may be more sensitive to the effects of beta-blockers, particularly bradycardia and hypotension. Start with lower doses and titrate slowly. Monitor renal and hepatic function closely, as these may be impaired in older adults.
Clinical Information
Clinical Pearls
- Always emphasize the importance of not abruptly discontinuing propranolol due to the risk of rebound effects, especially in patients with ischemic heart disease.
- Propranolol is non-selective, meaning it blocks both beta-1 and beta-2 receptors. This can lead to bronchospasm in patients with asthma or COPD, and can mask symptoms of hypoglycemia in diabetics.
- The LA formulation is designed for once-daily dosing, improving patient adherence compared to immediate-release formulations.
- Patients should be advised to take their pulse regularly and report any significant slowing of heart rate.
- Educate patients about orthostatic hypotension, especially when initiating therapy or increasing dose.
Alternative Therapies
- Other beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol, bisoprolol - some are cardioselective)
- Calcium channel blockers (e.g., amlodipine, nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem)
- ACE inhibitors (e.g., lisinopril, enalapril)
- Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) (e.g., losartan, valsartan)
- Diuretics (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide)
- Alpha-blockers (e.g., prazosin, doxazosin)
- Central alpha-agonists (e.g., clonidine)