Details

Methyldopa lowers blood pressure by decreasing the levels of certain chemicals in your blood. This allows your blood vessels (veins and arteries) to relax (widen) and your heart to beat more slowly and easily. Methyldopa is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Before you take methyldopa, tell your doctor if you have a history of liver disease, kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis), heart disease, angina (chest pain), or a history of heart attack or stroke. To make sure you can safely take methyldopa, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis) a history of liver disease heart disease, angina (chest pain) or a history of heart attack or stroke.

Typical Uses

Methyldopa is used alone or with other medications to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. Methyldopa works by relaxing blood vessels so blood can flow more easily.

Side Effects

Methyldopa side effects may include slow heart rate pale or yellowed skin, fever, confusion or weakness nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin or muscle movements you cannot control.

Drug Interactions

• Methyldopa+carvedilol- Ask your doctor before using carvedilol together with methyldopa. This can cause lead to a serious increase in your blood pressure. Call your doctor if you experience nausea, vomiting, sweating, flushing, stiff neck, headache, or heart palpitations.
• Methyldopa+furazolidone- Using methyldopa together with furazolidone is not recommended. Combining these medications may increase your blood pressure or cause central nervous system stimulation that can result in agitation and hallucinations. You may use methyldopa only after you have been off furazolidone for at least 14 days.
• Methyldopa+leflunomide- Leflunomide may cause liver problems, and using it with other medications that can also affect the liver such as methyldopa may increase that risk. Because leflunomide can stay in your blood for a prolonged period after the last dose, interactions with other drugs may occur for some time even after you have stopped taking it.
• Methyldopa+tizanidine- Ask your doctor before using methyldopa together with tizanidine. Using these medications together can lower your blood pressure. This can cause dizziness or feeling like you might pass out, especially when getting up from a sitting or lying position.

Mechanism of action

Methyldopa belongs to a group of medicines called antihypertensives. It reduces elevated blood pressure by relaxing and dilating (widening) blood vessels.

Pregnancy Category : C