How and when to take carvedilol

Dosage

Carvedilol tablets come in 4 different strengths: 3.125mg, 6.25mg, 12.5mg and 25mg.

How much you take depends on why you need carvedilol.

The usual dose for adults is:

• high blood pressure – 12.5mg once a day for 2 days. This is then increased to 25mg, taken once a day. If your blood pressure does not go down enough your doctor may increase your dose to up to 50mg a day. This can be taken as a single dose or split into 2 doses
• heart failure – 3.125mg, taken twice a day for 2 weeks. Your doctor will then slowly increase the dose every 2 weeks up to a maximum of 25mg to 50mg twice a day (depending on your weight)
• angina – 12.5mg, taken twice a day for 2 days. This is then increased to 25mg, taken twice a day

If your child is prescribed carvedilol, the doctor will use their weight to work out the right dose.

How to take carvedilol

When you start taking carvedilol, your doctor may advise you to take your first dose just before you go to bed. This is because it can make you feel dizzy.

After the first dose, if you do not feel dizzy, you can take your medicine in the morning. If you do feel dizzy, it's best to keep taking your medicine at bedtime.

It's best to take carvedilol at the same time each day.

If you take it twice a day, you'll usually have 1 dose in the morning and 1 dose in the evening. Leave 10 to 12 hours between doses if you can.

Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water. Do not chew or crush them.

Carvedilol does not usually make you feel sick, so you can take it with or without food. However, if you're taking carvedilol for heart failure, it's best to take the tablets with food. This will help reduce the risk of you feeling dizzy or faint when you stand up.

If you find tablets difficult to swallow, some tablets have a line across them to help you break them in half. Check the information leaflet that comes with your medicine to see if you can do this.

How long to take it for

Usually, treatment with carvedilol is long term. You may need to take it for the rest of your life.

Do not stop taking carvedilol suddenly, as this can make your condition worse, especially if you have heart disease. Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking it.

If you forget to take it

If you miss a dose of carvedilol, take it as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose. In this case, just leave out the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

If you take too much

The amount of carvedilol that can lead to an overdose varies from person to person.

Taking too much carvedilol can lower your blood pressure, slow your heart rate, and make it difficult to breathe.