Ivabradine is used to treat a subset of adult patients with heart failure (a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the other regions of the body) in order to reduce the likelihood that their condition will worsen and they will require hospital treatment. Also, it is utilised to treat a specific form of cardiomyopathy-related heart failure in children aged 6 months and older (a condition in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged). A group of drugs known as hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel blockers includes ivabradine. In order for the heart to pump more blood throughout the body with each beat, it slows down the heart rate.

Ivabradine is available as a tablet and an oral solution (liquid) that can be consumed orally. It is typically taken twice daily with food. Ivabradine should be taken every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Ivabradine should be taken as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

There is a centre line on certain ivabradine tablets. Take the tablet carefully on the line if your doctor instructs you to take only half of it. Save the remaining half of the tablet for your next dose and take half of it as prescribed.

Ivabradine solution dosage should be precisely measured and administered using an oral syringe (measuring tool) and a pharmaceutical cup. If a medicine cup is not provided with your medication, ask your pharmacist for one. An oral syringe, which is the greatest tool for measuring your dose, will be provided by your pharmacist. Fill the pharmaceutical cup with the entire contents of the ampule(s). Using the oral syringe, take your dose from the pharmaceutical cup. Follow the oral syringe’s usage and maintenance recommendations provided by the manufacturer. If you have any questions, speak with your physician or pharmacist.

Do not take another dose of ivabradine if you vomit or spit after taking it. Continue taking your medication as usual.

After two weeks, depending on how well the drug works for you and any adverse effects, your doctor may change your dose. As you receive ivabradine treatment, be sure to discuss your feelings with your doctor.

Ivabradine does not treat heart failure; it just manages its symptoms. Ivabradine should still be used even if you feel fine. Without consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking ivabradine.

The patient information sheet (Medication Guide) from the manufacturer will be sent to you by your doctor or pharmacist when you start ivabradine treatment and each time you get a prescription refill. If you have any questions, carefully read the material and contact your doctor or pharmacist. The Medication Guide is also available on the manufacturer’s website or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm).

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking ivabradine,

• If you have any allergies, including to any of the substances in ivabradine tablets and oral solution, notify your doctor and pharmacist right away. For a list of the ingredients, consult the Medication Guide or speak with your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications: nelfinavir (Viracept), itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox), telithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac), telithromycin (Ketek), clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac), and nefazodone. If you are taking any of these drugs, your doctor probably won’t let you take ivabradine.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements you are currently taking or intend to take. Incorporate any of the following: Beta blockers such atenolol (Tenormin, in Tenoretic), carteolol, labetalol (Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL, in Dutoprol), and nadolol are also used to treat arrhythmias (Corgard, Corzide), digoxin (Lanoxin), diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Tiazac, others), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rifater, Rimactane), and verapamil are among the medications that contain propranolol, sotalol, and timolol (Calan, Verelan, in Tarka). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects. Tell your doctor about all the drugs you are taking, even any not on this list, since many other drugs may also interact with ivabradine.
• Please let your doctor know if you are taking any herbal supplements, especially St. John’s wort.
• Inform your doctor if you have liver illness, low blood pressure, a pacemaker, signs of heart failure that have recently gotten worse, an irregular or slow heartbeat, or any of these conditions. Most likely, your doctor will advise against taking ivabradine.
• If you have or have previously had any additional heart issues, let your doctor know.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Pregnancy should not occur when taking ivabradine. See your physician about birth control options you can take while undergoing therapy. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking ivabradine.
• You should be aware that ivabradine may impair your vision, particularly if the ambient light intensity varies. This could involve uncommon visual issues such as seeing bright spots, brilliant circles around lights, bright coloured lights, seeing double, and more. When you initially start using ivabradine, these eyesight issues are most prevalent, but they typically go away after a few months of taking this medicine. Prior to understanding how this medication affects you, avoid operating machinery or driving a car, especially at night.

While using this medication, avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.

Ivabradine doses should be missed only occasionally and the regular dosing schedule should be followed. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you encounter any of these symptoms, or seek emergency care:

• Hammering, rapid, or erratic heartbeat
• Sluggish or irregular pulse
• Chest pressure or pain
• Shortness of breath getting worse
• Dizziness
• Extreme fatigue
• Not enough energy
• Face, throat, tongue, lips, and eye swelling
• Breathing or swallowing challenges
• Hoarseness

Further adverse effects of ivabradine are possible. If you have any strange side effects while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right once.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose signs could include the following:

• Sluggish heartbeat
• Excessive fatigue
• Dizziness
• Not enough energy

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments. To monitor your body’s reaction to ivabradine, your doctor will periodically check your heart rate and blood pressure.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.