Bisoprolol
Description
Bisoprolol is used alone or in combination with other medicines in the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure) and angina (chest pain due to decrease oxygen supply to the heart muscles). This medicine relaxes the heart muscles and slows down your heart rate. This lowers your blood pressure.
Bisoprolol shows side effects like headache, nausea, slow heartbeat, diarrhoea, etc. These side effects usually go away on their own. Consult with your doctor if these side effects worsens. This medicine can cause dizziness, therefore avoid activities that require mental focus like driving or operating machines.
Bisoprolol can be taken with or without food, as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will decide the dose according to your condition. Take this medicine at the same time every day to maintain a constant level in your blood. Avoid the discontinuation of this medicine without consulting your doctor.
Bisoprolol is not recommended for use if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. This medicine is not recommended if you have heart problems that cause slow heart beat, abnormal rhythm or insufficient pumping of the blood as it can worsen your condition. Also, inform your doctor about all the medicines that you take as they can interact with each other and cause side effects. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine.
QUICK LINKS:
Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Bisoprolol
- Joint pain
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Feeling of coldness or numbness
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Slow heartbeat
- Sleep disorders
Uses of Bisoprolol
What is it prescribed for?
- Hypertension
- Angina
Read More
Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe effect of Bisoprolol may be observed in 1-2 hours after administration.
- Duration of effectThe effect of Bisoprolol last for 24 hours. This medicine may remain in your body for 2-3 days.
- Safe with alcohol?Consumption of alcohol should be avoided while taking Bisoprolol as it may make you dizzy.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendency was reported for Bisoprolol.
- Usage in pregnancy?Bisoprolol is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may harm your foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Bisoprolol is not recommended for use while breastfeeding as not enough studies are done to understand its safety and efficiency in such conditions. Consult with your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Allergy
Bisoprolol is not recommended for use if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, swelling and/or itching (especially in the face, lips, throat, etc.), dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Cardiogenic shock
Cardiogenic shock is an emergency condition where your heart suddenly stops pumping blood throughout your body. Bisoprolol is not recommended in such cases as this medicine relaxes your heart muscles and decrease the heart rate, which further depresses your heart functions.
Heart block greater than first degree
Heart block occurs when the electrical signal that controls your heartbeat is partially or completely blocked. This results in slow and/or irregular heartbeats. Bisoprolol is not recommended in such cases as it can worsen your heart condition.
Sinus Bradycardia
Sinus bradycardia is a type of slow heartbeat due to improper electrical impulses in your heart. Bisoprolol is not recommended if you have sinus bradycardia as it can further slower your heartbeats and worsen your condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Bisoprolol is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may harm your foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
Breast-feeding
Bisoprolol is not recommended for use while breastfeeding as not enough studies are done to understand its safety and efficiency in such conditions. Consult with your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
General warnings
Heart Failure
Heart failure occurs when your heart muscle is not able to pump blood normally. Bisoprolol may further weaken the contractions of your heart and slow down the heart rate. Hence it has to be used cautiously if you have heart failure. Your doctor will closely monitor your heart function while you take this medicine.
Major surgery
Bisoprolol can interact with anaesthesia and affect the heart functioning, which is not suitable for major surgery. Inform your doctor about this medicine if you plan to undergo any kind of surgery.
Diabetes
Bisoprolol should be taken with caution if you have diabetes as it may mask symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels) such as tremors, tachycardia (increased heart rate) and blood pressure changes. Your doctor may either adjust your dose or check your blood sugar levels frequently to use this medicine safely.
Hyperthyroidism
Bisoprolol should be used with caution if you have hyperthyroidism (increased thyroid hormone levels). Abrupt withdrawal of this medicine may lead to a life-threatening condition called thyroid storm (severe complications of untreated hyperthyroidism). To minimize this risk, your doctor will gradually stop this medicine by reducing doses over a period of 1 to 2 weeks.
Use in children
The safety and efficacy of Bisoprolol has not been established in children below 18 years of age.
Kidney/liver diseases
Bisoprolol should be used with caution if you have kidney or liver problems as this medicine is excreted by the liver and the kidneys. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine. Your doctor may suggest tests to monitor your liver and kidney functions and recommend appropriate dose adjustments based on your condition.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Bisoprolol, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Never take more than the prescribed dose. Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose of Bisoprolol.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Consumption of alcohol while taking Bisoprolol may cause an additional lowering of the blood pressure. This may result in severe complication over time.
Instructions
Consumption of alcohol should be avoided while taking Bisoprolol as it may make you dizzy.
Interaction with Medicine
Alprazolam
Theophylline
Verapamil
Disease interactions
Asthma
Bisoprolol should be used with caution if you have asthma (narrowing of the airways leading to breathing difficulty) as this medicine can cause constriction of the airways. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye condition caused by abnormally high pressure in your eyes that may lead to loss of vision. Bisoprolol may lower the pressure within your eyes, hence it should be taken with caution if you are taking medicines to treat glaucoma.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Bisoprolol can be taken with or without food. Do not break, crush or chew the tablet.
Take it at the same time every day for the ease of remembering. Avoid taking more or fewer doses than that prescribed by your doctor. Keep taking the medicine regularly even if your condition improves. Avoid self-medication or discontinuation of this medicine without your doctor's advise.
Avoid smoking, eat a healthy balanced diet and exercise regularly to get the maximum benefit from the treatment.
Bisoprolol can make you dizzy. Hence, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying down position.
If you experience any side effects that persist or worsen, consult your doctor.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Bisoprolol reduces the contraction of your heart muscles and cause decrease in heart rate. This makes your heart more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body, thus controls your blood pressure.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Cardioselective beta blockers, Anti-hypertensive Agents
Schedule
Schedule H
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - BISOPROLOL FUMARATE tablet. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 25 August 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Bisoprolol Fumarate 1.25 mg Film-coated Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 25 August 2021].
Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Bisoprolol. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 25 August 2021].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 9 September 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 9 Sep 2021
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.