Carvedilol Tecnigen 25 mg tablets EFG

Package leaflet: Information for the user

Introduction

Package leaflet: information for the user

Carvedilol TecniGen 25 mg tablets EFG

Read the entire leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others, even if they have the same symptoms as you, because it may harm them.
• If you experience any adverse effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

Leaflet contents

1. What Carvedilol TecniGen is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before taking Carvedilol TecniGen
3. How to take Carvedilol TecniGen
4. Possible adverse effects
5. How to store Carvedilol TecniGen
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Carvedilol TecniGen is and what it is used for

Carvedilol belongs to a group of medicines known as alpha and beta receptor blockers. This medicine has antioxidant, antihypertensive (reduction of blood pressure), vasodilatory, and antianginal properties. In addition, it reduces cardiac output and has beneficial effects on blood circulation in the heart.

Carvedilol is indicated for the treatment of:

• Symptomatic congestive heart failure (the heart has lost part of its ability to pump blood), moderate to severe, of ischemic or non-ischemic origin.
• Essential hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Ischemic heart disease (reduced blood and oxygen supply to the heart).

2. What you need to know before starting Carvedilol TecniGen

Do not take Carvedilol TecniGen

• If you are allergic to carvedilol or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• If you have decompensated heart failure of the so-called class IV (inability of the heart to perform its pumping function during physical activity and at rest).
• If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with obstructed bronchi (difficulty breathing).
• If your liver does not function properly.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Heart disease consisting of second- or third-degree atrioventricular (A-V) block (unless a permanent pacemaker has been implanted).
• If your heart beats slowly (less than 50 beats per minute).
• Heart failure (or shock, a condition in which the heart is so damaged that it cannot supply sufficient blood to the body's organs).
• Heart disease consisting of sinoatrial node block.
• Very low blood pressure (systolic pressure less than 85 mmHg).

Warnings and precautions

Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take carvedilol.

Inform your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:

• Any lung disease.
• Diabetes.
• Any heart disease.
• If you are taking other heart medications, especially if you are taking any of the following medicines, inform your doctor: digitalis (increases the force of the heartbeat), diuretics (increase urine output), ACE inhibitors (antihypertensive medicines), calcium antagonists (antihypertensive medicines), and antiarrhythmics (affect the heart rhythm).
• Any thyroid disorder.
• If you are allergic and are receiving treatment for your allergy.
• Circulatory problems or Raynaud's phenomenon.
• If you have a surgical procedure scheduled, inform your doctor that you are being treated with carvedilol.
• If you have a condition called pheochromocytoma.
• Psoriasis (a skin disease).
• Prinzmetal's angina (chest pain occurring at rest without obvious causes).
• If you are undergoing surgery with anaesthesia. You must inform the anaesthetist.
• If you wear contact lenses. Carvedilol may reduce tear production.
• If you suffer from severe cutaneous adverse reactions (e.g., toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome).

As with all medicines with beta-blocking activity, you should not stop treatment with carvedilol abruptly. The dose must be gradually reduced according to your doctor's instructions.

Use in athletes:

This medicine contains carvedilol, which may produce a positive result in doping control tests.

Children and adolescents

The use of carvedilol is not recommended in children and adolescents under 18 years of age due to insufficient safety and efficacy data.

Other medicines and Carvedilol TecniGen

Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might need to take any other medicines.

This is very important because taking several medicines at the same time may increase or decrease their effects. Therefore, you should not take carvedilol with any other medicine unless approved by your doctor.

Please note that these instructions may also apply to medicines that have been used previously or may be used in the future.

It is important that you inform your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any of the following medicines:

• Fluoxetine and paroxetine (medicines for depression).
• Cyclosporine and tacrolimus (medicines used to prevent transplant rejection).
• Digoxin, verapamil, diltiazem, and antiarrhythmic medicines (used to treat heart and blood pressure problems).
• Amiodarone (a medicine used to treat certain heart problems).
• Certain painkillers of the aspirin and ibuprofen type (NSAIDs).
• Other blood pressure medicines, barbiturates, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, vasodilating agents, and alcohol.
• Medicines for diabetes (including insulin and oral antidiabetics).
• Clonidine (a medicine used to control blood pressure or migraine).
• Rifampicin (a medicine to treat infections).
• Cimetidine (a medicine to treat stomach problems).
• Inducers or inhibitors of hepatic metabolism (medicines that alter the elimination of other medicines from the body).
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (medicines for depression).
• β-agonist bronchodilators (medicines used to improve breathing capacity, such as in asthma).
• Adrenaline/epinephrine (used to treat severe allergic reactions).

Taking Carvedilol TecniGen with food, drinks, and alcohol

You should avoid taking carvedilol simultaneously or immediately after consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may increase blood levels of the active ingredient carvedilol and cause unpredictable adverse effects. Excessive and simultaneous or occasional consumption of alcohol should also be avoided, as alcohol affects the action of carvedilol.

Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you on the meals with which you should take the medicine.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.

The use of carvedilol is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Carvedilol may cause fetal death in utero as well as premature births. In addition, adverse effects may occur in the fetus and newborn. After birth, the newborn has an increased risk of heart and lung problems.

Carvedilol passes into breast milk; therefore, its use is not recommended during breastfeeding.

Driving and use of machines

Carvedilol may occasionally impair your ability to drive or operate machinery. This is especially true when starting or changing treatment and when taken together with alcohol.

Carvedilol TecniGen contains lactose and sucrose

If your doctor has informed you that you have an intolerance to certain sugars, consult with him before taking this medicine.

3. How to take Carvedilol TecniGen

Follow exactly the instructions for use of this medicine given by your doctor or pharmacist. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Essential hypertension

Adults:

Oral use. The recommended starting dose is 12.5 mg once daily for the first two days. Then, the recommended dose is 25 mg once daily. If necessary, your doctor may increase your dose (at intervals of at least two weeks) up to 50 mg once daily or in two divided doses of 25 mg each.

Elderly patients:

Oral use. The recommended starting dose is 12.5 mg once daily, which has provided satisfactory control in some patients. If the response is not adequate, your doctor will adjust your dose (at intervals of at least two weeks).

Ischaemic heart disease

Adults:

Oral use. The recommended starting dose is 12.5 mg twice daily (total 25 mg per day) for the first two days. Then, the recommended dose is 25 mg twice daily (total 50 mg per day). If necessary, your doctor may increase your dose (at intervals of at least two weeks) up to 50 mg twice daily (total 100 mg per day).

Elderly patients:

Oral use. The maximum recommended dose for elderly patients is 50 mg administered in divided doses (twice daily).

Treatment of symptomatic congestive heart failure

Adults and elderly patients:

Oral use. Your doctor will individually determine the dose you should take, monitoring you closely during dose escalation to higher levels.

If you are already taking medications for heart conditions (digitalis) or for blood pressure control (diuretics and/or ACE inhibitors), your doctor will adjust the doses of these medications before initiating carvedilol treatment.

In any case, the recommended starting dose of carvedilol for the treatment of symptomatic congestive heart failure is 3.125 mg twice daily (total 6.25 mg per day) for two weeks. If this dose is well tolerated, it may be increased subsequently (at intervals of at least two weeks) to 6.25 mg twice daily (total 12.5 mg per day). Your doctor may then prescribe higher doses of carvedilol (after at least two weeks).

If you weigh less than 85 kg, the maximum recommended dose is 25 mg twice daily (total 50 mg per day). If you weigh more than 85 kg, the maximum recommended dose is 50 mg twice daily (100 mg per day).

Your doctor will advise you on the duration of your carvedilol treatment.

As a general rule, regardless of your condition, carvedilol should be discontinued gradually over several days, or the dose should be halved every three days.

Use in children and adolescents

Carvedilol is not recommended for use in children and adolescents under 18 years of age due to insufficient data on safety and efficacy.

Instructions for correct administration

Take the tablets with a sufficient amount of liquid, such as a glass of water.

If you have congestive heart failure (your heart has lost some of its ability to pump blood and you may experience shortness of breath, weakness, and fluid retention), you should take carvedilol with food to help prevent dizziness upon standing.

Remember to take your medication.

The tablet may be divided into equal doses.

If you take more Carvedilol TecniGen than you should

If you take more carvedilol than you should, contact your doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital. Bring the medicine with you.

In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service at telephone number: 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount ingested.

If you forget to take Carvedilol TecniGen

Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses.

If you stop taking Carvedilol TecniGen

Treatment with carvedilol must not be stopped abruptly, especially if you have ischaemic heart disease, a condition that causes poor blood pumping by the heart. Your doctor will gradually reduce your dose over several days until you completely stop taking carvedilol.

If you have any further questions about the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible adverse effects

Like all medicines, this medicine may cause adverse effects, although not everyone will experience them.

Adverse effects are classified as: very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people), common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people), uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people), rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people), very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people), and frequency not known (cannot be estimated from available data).

Infections and infestations

Common: Bronchitis, pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections.

Disorders of the nervous system

Very common: Headache, dizziness, and weakness, which are usually mild and occur mainly at the beginning of treatment.

Common: Presyncope, syncope (fainting), especially at the beginning of treatment.

Uncommon: Paresthesia (tingling sensation).

Psychiatric disorders

Common: Depressed mood, depression.

Uncommon: Sleep disorders.

Frequency not known: Hallucinations.

Cardiac disorders

Very common: Worsening of heart failure (the heart has lost part of its ability to pump blood).

Common: Bradycardia (reduced heart rate), fluid overload, increased blood volume in the body.

Uncommon: Atrioventricular (AV) block (heart problems), and angina pectoris (chest pain).

Frequency not known: Sinus arrest (a condition causing the heartbeat to become very slow or to stop), especially in elderly patients or patients with other cardiac rhythm disorders.

Vascular disorders

Very common: Low blood pressure.

Common: Postural hypotension (dizziness when standing up or changing body position), peripheral circulatory disorders (cold hands and feet), worsening of symptoms in patients with intermittent claudication (increased leg pain when walking) or Raynaud's phenomenon (reduced blood flow to fingers and toes, ears, and nose), hypertension.

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders

Common: Asthma and breathing difficulties in predisposed patients, fluid accumulation in the lungs.

Rare: Nasal congestion.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Common: Gastrointestinal discomfort with symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, indigestion, vomiting.

Uncommon: Constipation.

Rare: Dry mouth.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders

Uncommon: Skin reactions (e.g. allergic rash, dermatitis, urticaria, itching, psoriasis, lichenoid skin lesions).

Frequency not known: Hair loss, serious skin adverse reactions (e.g. toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome), excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).

Blood and lymphatic system disorders

Common: Decreased number of red blood cells in blood (anemia).

Rare: Reduced number of platelets in blood (thrombocytopenia).

Very rare: Reduced number of white blood cells in blood (leukopenia).

Hepatobiliary disorders

Very rare: Changes in serum transaminases (changes in the levels of certain liver enzymes in the blood).

Eye disorders

Common: Reduced tear production (dry eye), eye irritation, visual disturbances.

Renal and urinary disorders

Common: Acute renal failure (kidneys not functioning properly) and kidney function disorders in patients with diffuse vascular disease and/or impaired kidney function.

Rare: Problems with urination.

Frequency not known: Urinary incontinence in women (resolves when the medicine is discontinued).

Immune system disorders

Very rare: Allergic reactions.

Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders

Common: Limb pain.

Reproductive system and breast disorders

Uncommon: Impotence.

Metabolism and nutrition disorders

Common: Worsening of blood sugar control in diabetic patients (hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia), weight gain, increased blood cholesterol.

Frequency not known: Latent diabetes mellitus may become apparent, or pre-existing diabetes may worsen.

General disorders and administration site conditions

Very common: Fatigue.

Common: Pain, edema (fluid retention, swelling of legs, ankles, and feet).

If you consider any of the adverse effects you experience to be severe, or if you notice any adverse effects not listed in this leaflet, inform your doctor or pharmacist.

Reporting of adverse effects

If you experience any adverse effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible adverse effect not listed in this leaflet. You may also report them directly through the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. Storage of Carvedilol TecniGen

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not store above 30°C. Store in the original packaging.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the container after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month indicated.

Medicines must not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Dispose of unused medicines and their containers at the SIGRE Point in your pharmacy. If you are unsure, ask your pharmacist how to properly dispose of unused medicines and their packaging. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

Composition of Carvedilol TecniGen

The active substance is carvedilol. Each tablet contains 25 mg of carvedilol.

The other components are:

Saccharose, monohydrate lactose, povidone, anhydrous colloidal silica, crospovidone, and magnesium stearate.

Appearance of the medicinal product and contents of the container

White, round, biconvex tablets, scored on one side. They are packaged in PVC/PVdC/Al/PVdC blisters in containers containing 10, 28, 30, or 500 tablets.

Only certain pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorization Holder

Tecnimede España Industria Farmacéutica, S.A.

Avda. de Bruselas, 13, 3º D. Edificio América. Polígono Arroyo de la Vega,

28108 Alcobendas (Madrid), Spain

Manufacturer

Atlantic Pharma – Produções Farmacêutica, S.A.

Rua da Tapada Grande nº 2, Abrunheira

2710-228 Sintra, Portugal

Date of the most recent revision of this leaflet: May 2025

Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) (http://www.aemps.gob.es/).