Patient Product Information

UK
Roche

Eucardic® 6.25
Carvedilol

What is in your medicine?

The name of this medicine is Eucardic. The tablets are round, yellow, scored on both sides and contain 6.25 mg of carvedilol, the active ingredient. Carvedilol is a type of medicine called a beta blocker and vasodilator. It can be used to treat heart conditions and high blood pressure.

The tablets also contain lactose, sucrose, crospovidone, colloidal silicon dioxide, povidone, magnesium stearate and yellow iron oxide (E172). These are the inactive ingredients.

What does your medicine do?

Eucardic contains carvedilol which is a beta blocker and it dilates blood vessels (vasodilator). It is used for the treatment of angina and mild, moderate or severe heart failure. Eucardic is also used to treat high blood pressure.

Tablets of higher strength are required when Eucardic is used to treat high blood pressure or angina.

Do not take this medicine if:

• you have a history of wheezing due to asthma or other lung diseases.
• your heart failure has worsened recently or you have severe fluid retention and you are receiving intravenous medication to help your heart to work.
• you have liver disease.
• you have a conduction defect of the heart (or heart block).
• you have ever had a bad reaction to carvedilol or any of the other ingredients in this medicine.

If any of these apply to you, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Before taking your medicine

If the answer is YES to any of the following questions DO NOT take this medicine until you have talked to your doctor about it.

• Have you been told you have a very slow heartbeat?
• Have you been told you have a condition called Prinzmetal's angina?
• Have you been told you suffer from any other heart problems?
• Have you had any problems with your liver, kidneys or thyroid?
• Do you have diabetes?
• Do you have phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland causing high blood pressure)?
• Do you have a skin condition known as psoriasis?
• Do you have a circulation disorder (usually affecting the fingers) called Raynaud's phenomenon?
• Are you taking any other medicines for your heart or your blood pressure including diuretics (water tablets), calcium channel blockers (e.g. diltiazem), clonidine or digoxin?
• Are you taking a medicine called cimetidine?
• Are you taking a drug called cyclosporin?
• Are you taking a drug called rifampicin (for tuberculosis)?
• Are you taking any drugs known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (for depression)?
• Are you taking a medicine called clonidine (for migraine, menopausal flushing, hypertension or Tourette's syndrome)?
• Have you ever had a serious allergic reaction or are you undergoing allergic desensitisation therapy?
• Do you wear contact lenses?
• Are you pregnant or breast feeding your baby? Consult your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while already taking this medicine.

Taking your medicine

It is important to take your medicine as your doctor has told you to. The pharmacist's label will tell you how many tablets to take.

Your tablets should be taken twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. The calendar pack will help tell you whether or not you have taken your tablets.

 

Starting with a very low dose, your doctor will gradually increase the strength of tablets you take until you receive the dose that suits you best. Your pharmacist may also help you if you are not sure about the dose of Eucardic you should be taking.

Take the tablets with a drink of water, without chewing or crushing them. You should try to take the tablets with food. However you should take your tablets even if you do not have much appetite.

For the treatment of heart failure, treatment with Eucardic is recommended to be started by a hospital specialist.

Sometimes your heart failure may worsen while taking Eucardic, particularly early on in your treatment. This may result in increased symptoms (e.g. tiredness, shortness of breath) and signs of fluid retention (e.g. weight gain and swelling of the legs).

You should report to your doctor if your symptoms or condition worsen as he may need to change the dose of your other medications or Eucardic.

Tell your hospital you are taking carvedilol if you need to have an anaesthetic for surgery.

After taking your medicine

This medicine may cause side-effects in a few people.

If you get skin troubles such as a rash or itching for the first time or start wheezing tell your doctor as soon as possible (do not suddenly stop taking the tablets). Some people may feel dizzy (especially when standing up), feel very tired, have a headache, feel sick (nausea and vomiting), or have diarrhoea or constipation, particularly when first starting to take this medicine. The symptoms are usually mild and do not last for very long.

A few people may have changes in sleep pattern, feel depressed, have a slowed heart beat (perhaps causing fainting and severe tiredness), cold hands or feet, swollen/puffy feet or ankles, tingling or painful hands or feet. Some people may have a stuffy nose or symptoms of asthma or breathing difficulties. There may be weight gain and some people with heart failure may have a small increase in the cholesterol (fat) content of the blood.

Some people may develop chest pains, flu-like symptoms, disturbed vision, dry eyes or mouth, increased sweating, changes in tests of liver function, changes in blood tests, a severe slowing of the pulse or changes in the frequency of passing urine. If you have a condition called intermittent claudication (sudden pain in the leg muscles, which occurs after walking and is caused by poor blood supply) your symptoms may become worse while taking this medicine. In men, rare cases of impotence (difficulty in getting an erection) have been reported. This may be due to the drug or other causes. Very rarely some people have begun to bruise easily or have abnormal bleeding (for example into gums or intestines). Rarely a temporary failure of the kidneys can occur causing less urine to be passed, itchy skin and perhaps swelling (oedema) of the legs, arms and face. Your doctor can adjust your dose as necessary.

If you experience these or any other symptoms which concern you tell your doctor.

If you are a diabetic patient you may need to monitor your glucose (sugar) levels more closely when you begin to take Eucardic as the early signs of very low blood sugar can be masked when taking this medicine.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any adverse effects not mentioned in this leaflet.

Storing your medicine

• Store your tablets below 25°C in a dry place. Keep the blister strips in the cardboard carton to protect them from light.
• Keep this medicine in a safe place where children cannot reach it.
• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date shown on the label.
• If your tablets show any signs of deterioration, seek the advice of your pharmacist who will tell you what to do.
• If your doctor decides to stop the treatment, return any leftover tablets to the pharmacist. Only keep them if your doctor tells you to.
• REMEMBER this medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe it for you. Never give it to others. It may harm them even if their symptoms are the same as yours.