Sectral (acebutolol): Blood Pressure Drug Side Effects & Dosage

What is Sectral? What are the uses for acebutolol?

Sectral is used alone or with other
drugs to treat high
blood pressure and arrhythmias. It also is used to treat
chest pain due to
coronary artery disease (angina) in which the supply of blood and oxygen to the
heart are inadequate for the heart to pump normally.

What brand names are available for acebutolol?

Sectral

Is acebutolol available as a generic drug?

Yes

Do I need a prescription for acebutolol?

Yes

What are the side effects of acebutolol?

Most adverse reactions to Sectral have been mild, not
required discontinuation of therapy, and tended to decrease as the duration of
treatment increases. Adverse events include:

Possible serious side effects include:

Heart failure
Slow heart rate
Heart block
Heart attack
Abnormal heart beats
Raynaud phenomenon
Lupus erythematous

With serious adverse events such as shortness of breath or wheezing,
swelling of the feet and lower legs and chest pain, it is advisable to contact a
doctor immediately.

QUESTION

In the U.S., 1 in every 4 deaths is caused by heart disease.
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What is the dosage for acebutolol?

Sectral can be taken with or without food, usually once or twice
daily.
The dosage of Sectral should be reduced in patients with dysfunction
of the kidneys or
liver since kidney or
liver disease reduce the elimination of
Sectral.

Which drugs or supplements interact with acebutolol?

The use of beta blockers together with fenoldopam
(Corlopam), a drug used to manage severe
high blood pressure, may result in
unexpectedly
low blood pressure since beta-adrenergic blocking drugs add to the
blood pressure-lowering effects of fenoldopam.
With concomitant use of
clonidine (Catapres) and beta-adrenergic blocking
drugs, severe
high blood pressure may occur if patients abruptly discontinue the
clonidine. Because of this effect, it is advisable to discontinue
beta-adrenergic blocking drugs prior to starting clonidine.
Using epinephrine (Adrenalin,
EpiPen) and beta-adrenergic blocking drugs
together causes high blood pressure and a slow heartbeat since the
beta-adrenergic stimulating effects of epinephrine that raise blood pressure and
heart rate are exaggerated by the beta-adrenergic blocking drugs which prevent
dilation of the blood vessels and increase the heart rate. To avoid this effect,
it is best not to use both drugs together. If, however, both drugs are
administered together, it is important to monitor blood pressure levels. Also,
high blood pressure and a slow heartbeat are less likely to occur if
beta-adrenergic blocking drugs that are selective for the heart such as atenolol
(Tenormin) and Sectral (Sectral) are used.
Epinephrine- and norepinephrine-depleting drugs, such as
reserpine
(Harmonyl), may have an additive effect when given with beta-blocking drugs and
cause an abnormally slow heart beat or
low blood pressure, which may give rise
to dizziness or
fainting.

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Is acebutolol safe to take if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

There are no adequate studies of Sectral in
pregnant women.
It should be used during
pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the
risk to the fetus
Sectral is excreted in
human milk, and use among
nursing
mothers is discouraged.

What else should I know about acebutolol?

What preparations of acebutolol are available?

Capsules: 200 and 400 mg.

How should I keep acebutolol stored?

Capsules should be stored at room temperature, 77 F (25 C), away
from light and moisture.