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Timolol
Side Effects Seen With the Medicine
Just like any medicine, timolol may cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience problems. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
Some of the most common side effects include but are not limited to:
- Slow heart rate
- Cold hands and feet
- Heart failure
- Nausea
- Eye burning or stinging
- Blurred vision.
(Click Timolol Side Effects to learn more, including potentially serious side effects you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)
What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking timolol if you have:
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any other medicines you are taking, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Timolol belongs to a group of drugs called beta-adrenergic blocking agents, more often known as beta blockers. As the name implies, these medications block beta receptors in the body. Beta receptors are located in a number of places, including the eyes, heart, and blood vessels. Stress hormones such as adrenaline bind to these receptors and cause certain reactions in the body, such as:
By blocking beta receptors, timolol causes the reverse effect of stress hormones. It decreases heart rate and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It is not entirely clear how the medication works to prevent migraines or to improve survival after a heart attack.
Timolol lowers the pressure in the eye by decreasing the amount of fluid produced by the eye (known as aqueous humor).
When and How to Take Timolol
Some general considerations for those taking this medicine include the following:
- Timolol comes in the form of tablets and eyedrops. It is usually taken once or twice a day, depending on the particular product.
- You can take this medication with a meal or on an empty stomach.
- For the eyedrops, make sure you know exactly how to use them (there are significant variations among the various products).
- For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Timolol will not work if you stop taking it.
- In general, the tablet form should not be stopped suddenly, as serious problems (including heart attacks) may result.
The dose of timolol your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
- The particular product
- The medical condition being treated
- How you respond to the medication
- Other drugs you are taking
- Other medical conditions you have.
As always, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
An overdose is likely to cause dangerously low blood pressure (hypotension), a slow heart rate (bradycardia), and other serious problems. If you happen to overdose on timolol, seek immediate medical attention.
What Should I Do If I Miss a Dose?
If you forget to take your dose, take the missed one as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, simply skip the one you missed and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose of timolol.
How Should This Medicine Be Stored?
Timolol products should be stored at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Keep this and all other medications out of the reach of children.
Timolol tablets ( Blocadren) come in the following strengths:
- Timolol 5 mg
- Timolol 10 mg
- Timolol 20 mg.
- Timolol 0.25 percent solution
- Timolol 0.5 percent solution
- Timolol 0.25 percent gel-forming solution
- Timolol 0.5 percent gel-forming solution.
Is There a Generic Version?
Some forms of timolol are available in generic form. For more information, see the following eMedTV articles:
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List of references (click here)
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Betimol [package insert]. Jacksonville, FL: VISTAKON Pharmaceuticals, LLC;2006 November. Istalol [package insert]. Irvine, CA: ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.;2005. Timolol Maleate [package insert]. Morgantown, WV, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.;2006 August. Timoptic Solution [package insert]. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co., Inc.;2005 July. Timoptic in Ocudose [package insert]. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co., Inc.;2005 July. Timoptic-XE [package insert]. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck & Co., Inc.;2005 September. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Electronic orange book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. FDA Web site. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/cder/ob/. Accessed May 4, 2009. Briggs GG, Freeman RK, Yaffe SJ. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 8th ed. Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;2008. National Library of Medicine (US). Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMED). NLM Web site. Available at: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT. Accessed May 4, 2009.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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