Description

Severe bradyarrhythmia secondary to 2nd- or 3rd-degree AV block or sick sinus syndrome.

Headache, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, depression, anxiety, nausea, fatigue, anorexia, parotid pain, paraesthesia, delusional perception, sleep disturbances, vivid dreams, impotence and loss of libido, urinary retention or incontinence, orthostatic hypotension, itching or burning sensations in the eye, accommodation disorder, decreased lacrimation, fluid retention, pruritus and rashes (transdermal), bradycardia, other ECG disturbances, heart failure, hallucinations, cramp, Raynaud's syndrome, gynaecomastia, transient abnormalities in LFTs.

Category C: Either studies in animals have revealed adverse effects on the foetus (teratogenic or embryocidal or other) and there are no controlled studies in women or studies in women and animals are not available. Drugs should be given only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the foetus.

Patient with cerebrovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease including MI, occlusive peripheral vascular disorders (e.g. Raynaud's disease), or those w/ history of depression. Avoid abrupt withdrawal. Renal impairment. Pregnancy and lactation.

Renal Impairment: Patients with renal impairment may benefit from a lower initial dose. Patients should be carefully monitored. Since only a minimal amount of clonidine is removed during routine hemodialysis, there is no need to give supplemental clonidine following dialysis.

Symptoms: Lethargy, pupillary constriction, hypotension, hypothermia, bradycardia, decreased or absent reflexes, irritability, miosis, weakness, somnolence (including coma) and resp depression (including apnoea). Paradoxical HTN may occur. Management: Perform gastric lavage following recent ingestion or admin activated charcoal and/or a cathartic. Supportive treatment may include admin of atropine sulfate for symptomatic bradycardia; IV fluids and/or inotropic sympathomimetic agents for hypotension; vasodilators for HTN. Naloxone may be used as adjunct for clonidine-induced resp depression, hypotension and/or coma.