Visken Warnings and Precautions

Visken Drug Information

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Visken?

You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking Visken^® (pindolol) if you have:

Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, or hepatitis
Kidney disease, such as kidney failure (renal failure)
Diabetes
Chest pain (angina)
Heart failure
A slow heart rate (bradycardia)
Heart block
Sick sinus syndrome
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Hyperthyroidism
An upcoming surgery
Any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes, or preservatives.

Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:

Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
Breastfeeding.

Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Specific Visken Warnings and Precautions

Some warnings and precautions to be aware of prior to taking Visken include the following:

Beta blockers can worsen breathing problems like asthma or COPD. If you have breathing problems, check with your healthcare provider before taking Visken.
The kidneys and liver help remove Visken from the body. If you have kidney or liver disease, your healthcare provider may need to monitor your response to Visken more closely (and may recommend a lower Visken dosage).
As with all beta blockers, you should not abruptly stop taking Visken, as serious problems (including heart attacks) may result. Your healthcare provider will advise you about how to safely stop taking this medication. It is usually recommended to slowly reduce the dose over a period of one to two weeks, with careful monitoring, and to minimize physical activity during this time. Let your healthcare provider know if you develop chest pain or any other problems while stopping Visken.
Like all beta blockers, Visken can worsen heart failure in some situations. However, beta blockers are also useful for the treatment of heart failure. If you have heart failure, your healthcare provider may need to monitor you very closely while you take Visken. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if your heart failure symptoms seem to worsen.
If you will be having surgery, make sure your surgeon and anesthesiologist know you take Visken, as it may affect the choice of medications used during the surgery.
Beta blockers can mask some of the symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), particularly the "racing heart" feeling. This can cause serious problems for people with diabetes, who need to be able to sense that they have low blood sugar (in order to correct it before it becomes life-threatening).
Beta blockers can mask some of the symptoms of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). Stopping Visken suddenly could cause symptoms of a "thyroid storm" (a sudden and severe worsening of hyperthyroidism symptoms).
Visken can potentially interact with many other medications (see Visken Interactions).
If you have an anaphylactic allergy (the type that affects the entire body and often interferes with breathing), Visken may make you more sensitive to the allergen and may make the usual treatments (such as epinephrine or an EpiPen^®) less effective.
Visken is considered a pregnancy Category B medication. This means that it might be safe during pregnancy, although the full risks are not currently known (see Pindolol and Pregnancy).
Visken passes through breast milk in humans. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start breastfeeding, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to taking the drug (see Pindolol and Breastfeeding).

Visken Warnings and Precautions Article Continues on Next Page >