What is the product sold under the name Catapres?

This trade name is owned by the German pharmaceutical company named Boehringer Ingelheim. The active substance of the medication is Clonidine that was developed in the 1960s and was initially used as a medication to cope with nasal congestion due to its ability to narrow the capillaries in the nasal mucosa. However, during the tests, it was discovered that the formulation also has an antihypertensive effect. The clinical proof made the medication approved for hypertension treatment. Nowadays, it is made and marketed by numerous pharmaceutical companies besides Boehringer Ingelheim. If you want to buy Catapres at a lower price, you should look for it made by other companies. The same medication made and marketed under a less known name is commonly referred to as generic. For instance, we offer our customers to purchase the formulation with the same composition made by Combitic Global Caplet Pvt and Unicure Pharmaceuticals.

Indications for Catapres use

- Hypertensive crisis (except for hypertensive crisis with pheochromocytoma);
- Arterial hypertension;
- Primary open-angle glaucoma;
- Opioid withdrawal syndrome.

Catapres contraindications for use

Do not buy generic Catapres if you have:
- Hypersensitivity to the active or auxiliary substances from the pills;
- Arterial hypotension;
- Violation of the brain blood circulation, pronounced atherosclerosis of the brain vessels;
- Obliterating diseases of peripheral arteries, severe disorders of the peripheral circulation, Reynaud’s syndrome;
- Severe bradycardia, grade II – III blockade, sick sinus syndrome, cardiogenic shock;
- Severe ischemic heart disease, recent myocardial infarction;
- Severe renal impairment;
- Depression (including history);
- Use of tricyclic antidepressants or excessive consumption of alcohol.
- Porphyria;
- Pregnancy and lactation.

The medication must be used cautiously in:

- Mild to moderate slowed down heartbeat;
- Diabetes;
- Polyneuropathy, constipation;
- Elderly patients;
- Kidney failure;
- Individuals who use contact lenses.

Catapres dosing information

It is preferable that the formulation is appointed in the individually selected dosages for every individual patient. However, the instruction that accompanies the pills contains general information that you can find here:
The tablets must be taken after meals with sufficient liquid.
- Arterial hypertension is treated with an initial dosage of 0.075 mg two-four times a day. If the effect is insufficient, the single dosage should be raised every 2-3 days up to 0.15-0.3 mg split into three intakes. The maximum safe daily dosage is 2.4 mg but it can be used only at a hospital under a medical supervision.
In some cases, it is unreasonable to raise the dosage to the maximum so instead, the addition of other medication to the therapy is considered.
The duration of the course is chosen by a doctor based on the individual features of the patient and the progression of the disease.
- Hypertensive crisis is treated with 0.15-0.3 mg (1-2 tablets) administered sublingually in the absence of a severely dry mouth.
- Alcohol or opium withdrawal syndrome is treated by the medication only at a hospital under the control of arterial pressure and heart rate by the dosage of 0.15-0.3 mg (1-2 tablets) three times a day with an interval of six-eight hours.
In case adverse effects develop, the single dosage should be gradually lowered throughout 2-3 days and then the use of the formulation is completely discontinued if needed.
Patients of elderly age, especially with cerebrovascular disorders, must be appointed the medication cautiously.

Catapres overdose

An overdose with the formulation is dangerous with severe hypertension and even coma. The symptoms are dry mouth, narrowed pupils, sedation, slow heartbeat, nausea, collapse, confusion, and others.
The required therapy includes the discontinuation of the medication use and symptomatic treatment, gastric lavage and the use of activated carbon. In a sharp drop of the arterial pressure, the infusion of fluid and sympathomimetics (e.g. dopamine) is appointed.
Severe and persistent hypotension indicates the need for alpha adrenergic receptors blockers.

Catapres adverse effects

If you buy Clonidine for the first time and had never used it before, you can develop certain negative effects along with the positive ones such as:
- Dry mouth, low appetite, nausea, constipation, indigestion, pain in the abdomen, pseudo-obstruction of the large intestine, pain in the salivary glands, etc;
- Moderate transient disorders of the liver function tests, hepatitis;
- Slow or rapid heartbeat, congestive heart failure, edema, ECG changes, fainting, postural hypotension, etc;
- Fatigue, weakness, headache, sleepiness or insomnia, vertigo, sedation, confusion, slowed down psychomotor reactions, anxiety, agitation, tremor, and others;
- Skin paleness or reddening, hypersensitivity reactions including skin rash, skin itching, urticaria, angioedema, hair loss;
- Gynecomastia;
- Transient increase in glucose, the retention of sodium ions and water, which is manifested in edema of the lower extremities and weight gain;
- Cramps of gastrocnemius muscle, myalgia, and arthralgia;
- Nasal congestion, dryness in the nose, impaired breathing;
- Accommodation disturbances, blurred vision, reduction of tearing, dry eyes, burning sensation in the eyes;
- Difficulty urinating and urinary retention, nocturia, decreased potency and/or libido, erectile dysfunction;
- Thrombocytopenia;
- Fever, malaise, withdrawal syndrome, increased sensitivity to alcohol, very rarely in sublingual use (in hypertensive crisis) - swelling of the mucous membranes.

Interactions of other medications with Catapres

Before you buy generic Clonidine, check with your doctor that you don’t take any medications that can cause dangerous adverse reactions when used with this antihypertensive agent. Here you can find some of the most notable interactions but you should read the full instruction for all of them.
- Tricyclic antidepressants and antipsychotics can enhance the occurrence of postural hypotension, lowering of the hypotensive effect, and risk of a ricochet elevation of the blood pressure in an abrupt withdrawal of Catapres.
- Tranquilizers, hypnotics (sleeping pills), alcohol, and other substances that suppress the central nervous system can enhance the sedative effect of Catapres and provoke the development of depressive states.
- The medication’s effect is enhanced with the use of other antihypertensive medications. It is compatible with diuretics, vasodilators, beta-blockers, calcium antagonists and ACE inhibitors but contraindicated to be used with alpha-1 adrenergic receptors blockers as the effect can be unpredictable.
- The use of the formulation with cardiac glycosides, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers is dangerous with the development of bradycardia or AV-block.
- Sympathomimetics (adrenaline, norepinephrine) minimize the antihypertensive effect of the medication.

Precautions

During the therapy it is advised to avoid driving or operating any potentially dangerous equipment as the medication can slow down the reaction and lower attention.
The abrupt discontinuation of the medication use is fraught with the development of withdrawal syndrome with a sharp increase of the arterial pressure, nervousness, agitation, headache, rapid heartbeat, nausea, tremor, and other adverse effects. Thus, the withdrawal must be made with the gradual lowering of the dosage.
During the therapy with Catapres, patients should refrain from drinking alcohol.

Where can you buy Catapres?

We offer you to order generic Catapres made by the reputable generics-makers that guarantee the quality and the effectiveness of the medication while you get it at a low price.

Catapres shipping

We will ship Catapres to any country where you order it to if international mailing services operate there. We deliver our products to the U.S., UK, Canada, and all other countries. Find out more about shipping of any of our products from the respective section of our website.

Free prescription
Our doctor prescribes online for free, and there is no doctor’s consultation fee.

Discrete packaging
All orders arrive in discrete unmarked parcels. We leave the shipment description blank.

For more answers see the FAQ section