OptiPranolol Warnings and Precautions

Before starting treatment, warnings and precautions for OptiPranolol should be reviewed to help minimize risks. For example, it is important to know that OptiPranolol may interact with other drugs and can worsen certain medical conditions (such as asthma or heart failure). You should not use OptiPranolol if you have severe COPD, a very slow heart rate, or cardiogenic shock.

• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Diabetes
• Heart failure
• Had a recent heart attack
• A slow heart rate (bradycardia)
• Heart block
• Hyperthyroidism
• An upcoming surgery
• Any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes, or preservatives.
   

• Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
• Breastfeeding.
   

• Even though OptiPranolol is an eye drop, a significant amount of the medication may be absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, most of the usual warnings of precautions with other beta blockers also apply to OptiPranolol.
   
• Beta blockers can worsen breathing problems like asthma or COPD. In many cases, OptiPranolol is not recommended for people with such lung problems.
   
• Like all beta blockers, OptiPranolol can worsen heart failure in some situations. If you have heart failure, your healthcare provider may need to monitor you very closely while you take OptiPranolol. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if your heart failure symptoms seem to worsen.
   
• 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). Some beta blockers may also worsen low blood sugar, although it is not known if this is a problem for OptiPranolol.
   
• If you will be having surgery, make sure your surgeon and anesthesiologist know you take OptiPranolol, as it may affect the choice of medications used during the surgery.
   
• Beta blockers can mask some of the symptoms of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
   
• OptiPranolol can potentially interact with a number of other medications (see OptiPranolol Drug Interactions).
   
• OptiPranolol is considered a pregnancy Category C medication. This means that it may not be safe for use during pregnancy, although the full risks are not currently known (see OptiPranolol and Pregnancy).
   
• It is unknown if OptiPranolol 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 OptiPranolol and Breastfeeding).