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clonidine

 
Dictionary: clon·i·dine   (klŏn'ĭ-dēn', klō'nĭ-) pronunciation
n.
A synthetic drug, C9H9Cl2N3, used in the treatment of hypertension, the prevention of migraine headaches, and the management of Tourette's syndrome and opiate withdrawal.

[C(H)LO(RO)- + (A)NI(LINE) + (IMI)D(E) + -INE2.]


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Drug Info: Clonidine
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Brand names: Catapres®Catapres-TTS®Duraclon™Duraclon®

Chemical formula:



Clonidine Hydrochloride Solution for injection

What is this medicine?

CLONIDINE is used for relief of severe pain that is not controlled by other pain medications.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
•heart or blood vessel disease
•injection site infection
•kidney disease
•recent heart attack or stroke
•an unusual or allergic reaction to clonidine, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
•pregnant or trying to get pregnant
•breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine?

This medicine is for infusion into the spine. It is given by a health care professional in a hospital or clinic setting.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses. If you take only one dose a day and forget to take it that day, do not take a double dose the next day.

What may interact with this medicine?

Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
•guanethidine
•MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate

This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
•barbiturates, like phenobarbital
•beta blockers
•heart medicines such as digoxin or digitoxin
•fluphenazine
•medicine for mental depression
•prescription pain medicines

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

What should I watch for while using this medicine?

Your condition will be monitored carefully while you are receiving this medicine.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may increase this effect. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your doctor if the problem does not go away or is severe.

If you have an epidural catheter, report any pain or redness at the catheter site to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:
•allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
•anxiety, nervousness
•chest pain
•dizziness or fainting spells
•fever, chills
•increased sweating
•fast, irregular heartbeat
•pain or difficulty passing urine
•swelling of feet or legs

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
•constipation
•difficulty sleeping
•headache
•unusually weak or tired

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where should I keep my medicine?

This drug is given in a hospital or clinic and will not be stored at home.

Last updated: 7/1/2002

Important Disclaimer: The drug information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. This drug information does not cover all possible uses, precautions, side effects and interactions. It should not be construed to indicate that this or any drug is safe for you. Consult your medical professional for guidance before using any prescription or over the counter drugs.

An alpha2 agonist that inhibits the release of noradrenaline from post-ganglionic sympathetic nerves. This drug is used clinically to treat hypertension and migraine. Clonidine has also been used by athletes to stimulate hGH (human growth hormone) secretion artificially, thus avoiding the direct use of hGH which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2005 Prohibited List.

Veterinary Dictionary: clonidine
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A centrally acting, α-adrenergic, antihypertensive agent; known to stimulate growth hormone release in dogs.

  • c. stimulation test — used in the diagnosis of pituitary dwarfism. Administration of clonidine causes a marked increase in blood levels of growth hormone in normal dogs.
  • c. suppression test — used in the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in humans. Normally, clonidine suppresses the release of catecholamines, but it does not have this effect on tumor function.
Wikipedia: Clonidine
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Clonidine
Systematic (IUPAC) name
N-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-amine
Identifiers
CAS number 4205-90-7
ATC code C02AC01 N02CX02, S01EA04
PubChem 2803
DrugBank APRD00174
ChemSpider 2701
Chemical data
Formula C9H9Cl2N3 
Mol. mass 230.093 g/mol
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 75-95%
Protein binding 20-40%
Metabolism Hepatic to inactive metabolites
Half life 12-33 hours
Excretion urine (40-50%)
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.

C(US)

Legal status

Prescription only

Routes oral, transdermal
 Yes check.svgY(what is this?)  (verify)

Clonidine is a medication used to treat several medical conditions. It is a direct-acting α2 adrenergic agonist.

Contents

Uses

It has been prescribed historically as an antihypertensive agent. It has found new uses, including treatment of some types of neuropathic pain, opioid detoxification, sleep hyperhidrosis, anaesthetic use, and off-label, to counter the side effects of stimulant medications such as methylphenidate or amphetamine. It is becoming a more accepted treatment for insomnia, as well as for relief of menopausal symptoms. Clonidine is increasingly used in conjunction with stimulants to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), for which it is administered in late afternoon or evening for sleep, and because it sometimes helps moderate ADHD-associated impulsive and oppositional behavior, and may reduce tics.[1] Clonidine can be used in the treatment of Tourette syndrome.[2] Clonidine is also a mild sedative, and can be used as premedication before surgery or procedures. [3]

Mechanism

Clonidine treats high blood pressure by stimulating α2 receptors in the brain, which decreases cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance, lowering blood pressure. It has specificity towards the presynaptic α2 receptors in the vasomotor center in the brainstem. This binding decreases presynaptic calcium levels, and inhibits the release of norepinephrine (NE). The net effect is a decrease in sympathetic tone.[4]

Indications & preparations

Clonidine tablets and transdermal patch


Clonidine is typically available as tablets (Catapres, Dixarit), as a transdermal patch (Catapres-TTS), or as an injectable form to be given epidurally, directly to the central nervous system.

FDA approved uses

This medication may also be used to ease withdrawal symptoms associated with the long-term use of narcotics, alcohol and nicotine (smoking). In addition, clonidine has also been used for migraine headaches, hot flashes associated with menopause, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.[5][6]

Clonidine is regularly prescribed to opiate addicts to help alleviate their withdrawal symptomology. It is mainly used to combat the sympathetic nervous system response to opiate withdrawal, namely tachycardia and hypertension, in the initial days of withdrawals.[7] It helps take away the sweating, hot/cold flashes, and general restlessness. The sedation effect is also useful although its side effects can include insomnia, thus exacerbating an already common feature of opiate withdrawal.[8]

Adverse effects

This drug may cause lightheadedness, dry mouth, dizziness, or constipation. Clonidine may also cause hypotension[9]

Rebound hypertension on withdrawal

Clonidine suppresses sympathetic outflow resulting in lower blood pressure, but sudden discontinuation can cause rebound hypertension due to a rebound in sympathetic outflow.

Clonidine therapy should generally be gradually tapered off when discontinuing therapy to avoid rebound effects from occurring. Treatment of clonidine withdrawal hypertension depends on the severity of the condition. Reintroduction of clonidine for mild cases, alpha and beta blockers for more urgent situations. Beta blockers never should be used alone to treat clonidine withdrawal as alpha vasoconstriction would still continue.[10][11]

Since ADHD drugs like amphetamine and methylphenydate tend to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, missed doses of clonidine while under ADHD stimulant therapy might entail increased risks of a more severe rebound hypertension. This has not been evaluated.

Pharmacodynamics

Clonidine is a centrally-acting α-adrenergic receptor agonist with more affinity for α2 than α1. It selectively stimulates receptors in the brain that monitor catecholamine levels in the blood. These receptors close a negative feedback loop that begins with descending sympathetic nerves from the brain that control the production of catecholamines (epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, and norepinephrine) in the adrenal medulla. By fooling the brain into believing that catecholamine levels are higher than they really are, clonidine causes the brain to reduce its signals to the adrenal medulla, which in turn lowers catecholamine production and blood levels. The result is a lowered heart rate and blood pressure, with side effects of dry mouth and fatigue. If clonidine is suddenly withdrawn the sympathetic nervous system will revert to producing high levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine, higher even than before treatment, causing rebound hypertension. Rebound hypertension can be avoided by slowly withdrawing treatment.

Clonidine suppression test

Clonidine's effect on reducing circulating epinephrine by a central mechanism was used in the past as an investigatory test for pheochromocytoma,[12] which is a catecholamine-synthesizing tumor, usually of the adrenal medulla. In a clonidine suppression test plasma catecholamines levels are measured before and 3 hours after a 0.3 µg/kg oral test dose has been given to a patient. A positive test occurs if there is no decrease in plasma levels..

References

  1. ^ National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2002). "Methylphenidate and Clonidine Help Children With ADHD and Tics".
  2. ^ Schapiro NA. "Dude, you don't have Tourette's": Tourette's syndrome, beyond the tics. Pediatr Nurs. 2002 May-Jun;28(3):243-6, 249-53. PMID 12087644
  3. ^ Fazi L. A comparison of oral clonidine and oral midazolam as preanesthetic medications in the pediatric tonsillectomy patient. Anesth Analg. 2001 Jan;92(1):56-61. PMID 11133600
  4. ^ Shen, Howard (2008). Illustrated Pharmacology Memory Cards: PharMnemonics. Minireview. pp. 12. ISBN 1-59541-101-1. 
  5. ^ "Clonidine Oral Uses". Web MD. http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-11754-Clonidine.aspx?drugid=11754&drugname=Clonidine. 
  6. ^ "Clonidine". Drugs.com. http://www.drugs.com/clonidine.html. 
  7. ^ . AJ Giannini. Drugs of Abuse--Second Edition. Los Angeles, Practice Management Information Corporation,1997.
  8. ^ AJ Giannini, I. Extein,MS Gold, ALC Pottash, S. Castellani. Clonidine in mania. Drug Development Research. 3:101-105,1983.
  9. ^ Hossmann V; Maling TJ, Hamilton CA, Reid JL, Dollery CT. (August 1980). "Sedative and cardiovascular effects of clonidine and nitrazepam". Clin Pharmacol Ther. 28 (2): 167–76. PMID 7398184. 
  10. ^ Keith Parker; Laurence Brunton; Goodman, Louis Sanford; Lazo, John S.; Gilman, Alfred (2006). Goodman & Gilman's the pharmacological basis of therapeutics. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 854–855. ISBN 0-07-142280-3. 
  11. ^ Vitiello B (April 2008). "Understanding the risk of using medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with respect to physical growth and cardiovascular function" (PDF). Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 17 (2): 459–74, xi. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2007.11.010. PMID 18295156. PMC 2408826. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=2408826&blobtype=pdf. 
  12. ^ Eisenhofer G, Goldstein DS, Walther MM, et al. (June 2003). "Biochemical diagnosis of pheochromocytoma: how to distinguish true- from false-positive test results". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 88 (6): 2656–66. doi:10.1210/jc.2002-030005. PMID 12788870. http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12788870. 

 
 

 

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Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Clonidine" Read more