Coreg

Coreg treats high blood pressure and other heart conditions. Do not stop taking this medication without talking to your doctor first.

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Coreg Overview

Updated: 

Coreg is a prescription medication used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure. Coreg belongs to a group of drugs called beta blockers. It works to decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and the workload of the heart by blocking beta receptors.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken twice a day with food and a full glass of water.

Common side effects of Coreg include low blood pressure, weight gain, and fatigue. Coreg can cause dizziness. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how Coreg affects you.

How was your experience with Coreg?

First, a little about yourself

Tell us about yourself in a few words?

What tips would you provide a friend before taking Coreg?

What are you taking Coreg for?

Choose one
  • Other
  • Angina Pectoris
  • Hypertension
  • Myocardial Infarction

How long have you been taking it?

Choose one
  • Less than a week
  • A couple weeks
  • A month or so
  • A few months
  • A year or so
  • Two years or more

How well did Coreg work for you?

Did you experience many side effects while taking this drug?

How likely would you be to recommend Coreg to a friend?

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Coreg Cautionary Labels

precautionsprecautionsprecautionsprecautionsprecautionsprecautions

Uses of Coreg

Coreg is a prescription medication used to treat:

  • heart failure
  • left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction in clinically stable patients
  • high blood pressure

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Manufacturer

Coreg Drug Class

Coreg is part of the drug class:

Side Effects of Coreg

Serious side effects have been reported with Coreg. See the “Coreg Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Coreg include the following:

  • Low blood pressure (which may cause dizziness or fainting when you stand up). If these happen, sit or lie down right away and tell your doctor.
  • Tiredness. If you feel tired or dizzy you should not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs you to be alert.
  • Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
  • Changes in your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, tell your doctor if you have any changes in your blood sugar levels.
  • Coreg may hide some of the symptoms of low blood sugar, especially a fast heartbeat.
  • Coreg may mask the symptoms of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).
  • Worsening of severe allergic reactions. Rare but serious allergic reactions (including hives or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing) have happened in patients who were on Coreg. These reactions can be life-threatening.
  • Shortness of breath
  • Weight gain
  • Diarrhea
  • Fewer tears or dry eyes that become bothersome if you wear contact lenses.

This is not a complete list of Coreg side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Coreg Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

This is not a complete list of Coreg drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Coreg Precautions

Serious side effects have been reported with Coreg including the following:

  • Acute exacerbation of coronary artery disease upon cessation of therapy: Do not abruptly discontinue Coreg.
  • Bradycardia (slow heart rate). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any new or increasing irregularities in your heart rate.
  • Hypotension. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, may cause you to feel faint or dizzy. Inadequate fluid intake, excessive sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting can lead to an excessive fall in blood pressure too. Lie down if you feel faint or dizzy. Call your doctor right away.
  • Worsening heart failure. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following symptoms:
    • sudden weight gain
    • worsening shortness of breath
    • increased swelling of your feet, legs, or abdomen
    • needing to use more pillows to go to sleep or sleeping in a recliner
    • waking from sleep to catch your breath
    • a cough that does not go away
    • new or increasing irregularities in your heart rate
  • Non-allergic bronchospasm (e.g., chronic bronchitis and emphysema): Avoid using Coreg in patients with these conditions. 
  • Diabetes: Monitor glucose as Coreg may mask symptoms of hypoglycemia or worsen hyperglycemia.

Do not take Coreg if you:

  • Have severe heart failure and are hospitalized in the intensive care unit or require certain intravenous medications that help support circulation (inotropic medications)
  • Are prone to asthma or other breathing problems
  • Are allergic to Coreg or to any of its ingredients
  • Have a slow heartbeat or a heart that skips a beat (irregular heartbeat)
  • Have liver problems

Coreg Food Interactions

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Coreg, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Inform MD

Before taking Coreg, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

  • Are allergic to Coreg or to any of its ingredients
  • Have asthma or other lung problems (such as bronchitis or emphysema).
  • Have problems with blood flow in your feet and legs (peripheral vascular disease) Coreg can make some of your symptoms worse.
  • Have diabetes
  • Have thyroid problems
  • Have a condition called pheochromocytoma
  • Have had severe allergic reactions
  • Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. It is not known if Coreg is safe for your unborn baby. You and your doctor should talk about the best way to control your high blood pressure during pregnancy.
  • Are breastfeeding. It is not known if Coreg passes into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed while using Coreg.
  • Are scheduled for surgery and will be given anesthetic agents.
  • Are taking prescription or non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Coreg and certain other medicines can affect each other and cause serious side effects. Coreg may affect the way other medicines work. Also, other medicines may affect how well Coreg works.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Coreg and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Coreg falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Coreg and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Coreg crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Coreg.

Coreg Usage

Take Coreg exactly as prescribed.

Coreg comes in tablet form and is taken twice every day with food and a full glass of water.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Coreg at the same time.

Coreg Dosage

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

  • the condition being treated
  • other medical conditions you have
  • how you respond to this medication

The recommended target dose of Coreg is 25 mg twice daily.

Coreg Overdose

If you take too much Coreg, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Other Requirements

  • Store Coreg tablets at 20º to 25 º C (68 º to 77 ºF).
  • Keep the tablets dry.
  • Keep Coreg tablets and all medicines out of the reach of children.