Dilatrend

Drugs

Generic Name: Carvedilol
Product Name: Dilatrend

Indication of Dilatrend
Action of Dilatrend
Dose advice of Dilatrend
Schedule of Dilatrend
Common side effects of Dilatrend
Uncommon side effects of Dilatrend
Dilatrend URL
Reference

Indication of Dilatrend:

Dilatrend is used in the treatment of heart failure. It does this by reducing the pressure the heart has to pump against (blood pressure) and controlling the heart rate. Dilatrend is often used in conjunction with other medications.

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Action of Dilatrend:

Dilatrend is a beta-blocking agent used in heart failure. Its actions include:

relaxing the tightened blood vessels, which decreases the pressure the heart has to pump against, thereby decreasing the work of the heart per contraction.

slowing the heart rate, which makes the pumping action more effective.

having the added effect of being an antioxidant, which reduces damage to the heart.Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump well enough to fulfill the body's requirements. As a consequence, the heart increases in size (hypertrophy) in attempt to increase blood flow to the body. Unfortunately, this increase in size can often worsen heart failure symptoms. Over 6 or more months, the effects of Dilatrend helps to decrease heart size in the enlarged heart and to increase the heart's pumping efficiency. This results in decreased hospitalisation rates and an overall decreased death rate (mortality) from heart failure.

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Dose advice of Dilatrend:

Your doctor will tell you how many DILATREND tablets to take each day.

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Schedule of Dilatrend:

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Common side effects of Dilatrend:

There are some common side effects associated with Dilatrend. It is important to tell the doctor if they occur and are worrying you. These include:

tiredness, drowsiness

dizziness and lightheadedness

abnormal or blurry vision

slow heart rate

diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting

bronchitis

high blood sugar

weight increase

fluid retentionThese effects are usually mild and decrease with time. It is also important to tell the doctor if there is something else making you feel unwell, even if it is not listed above.

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Uncommon side effects of Dilatrend:

There are several rare but important side effects that can be associated with Dilatrend. If these occur, you should tell your doctor immediately or present to the nearest Accident and Emergency hospital department, as urgent medical attention may be required. These include:

itching, dark urine, loss of appetite, yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice), or feeling 'flu-like' with no clear cause

difficulty breathing or swelling of the mouth or tongue

irregular heart beats

swelling of the feet or legs due to fluid retention

increased bleeding or bruising that occurs more easily than normalReference: Product CMI attached below.

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Dilatrend URL::

www.dilatrend.com.au

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Reference:

[2] Bicor (R) Australian Approved Product Information[1] Dilatrend (R) Australian Approved Product Information[3] Toprol-XL TM Approved Product Information[9] Fowler MB, Vera-Llonch M, et al. Influence of Carvedilol on Hospitalisations in Heart Failure Incidence, Resource Uitilisation and Costs. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2001, 37(6): 1692-1699. [4] Keating GM, Jarvis B. Carvedilol. A review of its use in chronic Heart Failure. Adis Drug Evaluation; Drugs 2003, 63(16): 1-43.[5] Parker M, Bristow MR, Cohn JN et al. The effect of carvedilol on morbidity and mortality in patints with chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med 1996, 334; 1349-1355.[6] Parker M, Coat AJS, Fowler MB et al. Effect of carvedilol on survival in severe chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med 2001; 344 (22); 1651-1658.[7] Remme WJ, Riegger G, Hildebrandt P et al. Clinical Trials, The Benefits of Early Combination Treatment of Carvedilol and an ACE-Inhibitor in Mild Heart Failure and Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction. The Carvedilol and ACE-Inhibitor Remodelling Mild Heart Failure Evaluation Trial (CARMEN). Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy 2004; 18: 57-66.[8] Packer M, Fowler M, et al. Results of the Carvedilol Prospective Randomised Cumulative Survival (COPERNICUS) Study. Circulation 2002; 106: 2194-2199.

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