Ivabradine
About Ivabradine
Ivabradine is used to treat heart failure and symptomatic stable angina pectoris (chest pain or discomfort). It lowers the risk of worsening heart conditions that may require hospitalisation.
Ivabradine contains Ivabradine, which works by slowing the heart rate, allowing the heart to pump more blood through the body with each beat. Thereby, Ivabradine improves heart functioning and reduces the number of angina attacks.
The possible side effects of Ivabradine are vision problems, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and headache. Most of these side effects may not need medical attention. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, consult your doctor.
Do not take Ivabradine if you are allergic to any of its components. Ivabradine is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Keep your doctor informed about your health condition and all the medicines you are taking to rule out any potential interactions.
Uses of Ivabradine
• Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure: Ivabradine treats chronic heart failure by reducing heart rate, improving heart function, and decreasing the risk of hospitalisation and cardiovascular events.
• Treatment of Angina: Ivabradine is used to treat angina by reducing the frequency of chest pain, improving exercise tolerance by lowering heart rate, and decreasing the severity of symptoms.
Medicinal Benefits
- Ivabradine is used for the treatment of heart failure and angina. It contains Ivabradine, a heart-rate-lowering medicine known as a hyperpolarisation-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel blocker.
- It helps lower the risk of hospitalisation due to worsening heart failure. It works by slowing the heart rate, which reduces the heart's workload and improves cardiac efficiency.
- Ivabradine helps relieve chest pain (angina) caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart.
- It is used in patients who cannot tolerate beta-blockers or have inadequate symptom control even while on beta-blocker therapy (used in combination).
- It is given along with standard heart failure therapy, including beta-blockers, or as an alternative when beta-blockers are not suitable.
Directions for Use
- Ivabradine should be taken with food.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication.
- Swallow Ivabradine as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, break, or chew it.
Storage
Side Effects of Ivabradine
- Feeling tired
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Visual impairment or blurry vision
Drug Warnings
- Do not take Ivabradine if you are allergic to any of its components, if you have very low blood pressure, or certain heart conditions (sick sinus syndrome, sinoatrial block, or 3rd degree atrioventricular block).
- Inform your doctor if you have/had liver or kidney problems, slow heart rate, heart rhythm problems, heart conduction problems, or stroke.
- Ivabradine is not recommended during pregnancy as it may harm the unborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment with Ivabradine.
- Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding. Your doctor will decide if you will take Ivabradine or breastfeed.
- Ivabradine may increase the risk of irregular or rapid heartbeat. Tell your doctor if you notice symptoms of an irregular or rapid heartbeat, such as palpitations, chest pressure, near-fainting, fainting, or worsened shortness of breath.
- This medicine can also cause bradycardia (a slower-than-normal heart rate). Tell your doctor if you have a slowing of your heart rate or any symptoms of a slow heart rate, such as dizziness, fatigue, or lack of energy.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: The possible medications that can interact with Ivabradine include anti-anxiety (lorazepam), antihistamine (diphenhydramine), anti-depression (duloxetine), diuretic medicine (furosemide), neuropathic medication (pregabalin), Paracetamol (acetaminophen), and anti-allergy (montelukast).
Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid consuming grapefruit juice while taking Ivabradine as these products significantly increase blood levels that may result in severe side effects.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Inform your doctor if you have conduction disturbances, heart failure, hepatic impairment, hypotension, or renal impairment.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeA person taking Ivabradine is not allowed to consume alcohol as alcohol may worsen the dizziness.
Pregnancy
unsafeDo not take Ivabradine if you are pregnant or are planning to have a baby. If you are pregnant and have taken Ivabradine, talk to your doctor. Do not take Ivabradine if you are able to become pregnant unless you use reliable contraceptive measures.
Breast Feeding
unsafeBreastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Ivabradine. Please consult your doctor if you are a lactating mother.
Driving
cautionBe careful when driving or operating machinery where sudden changes in light can happen, especially when driving at night.
Liver
unsafeIvabradine is not recommended for patients with severe preexisting liver disease. However, this medication is only used in patients with liver disease if prescribed by the doctor.
Kidney
unsafeTake Ivabradine is not recommended for use in patients dealing with severe renal disease. Ivabradine does not interfere with the functions of kidneys in cardiac heart failure patients, but still, this medicine can only be used after the doctor's recommendation.
Children
cautionPlease consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding the usage of Ivabradine in children.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Follow a well-balanced and healthy diet that includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, omega-3-rich foods, and lean protein sources.
- Keep your weight under control with a BMI of 19.5-24.9.
- Avoid chronic stress, as it can raise your blood pressure.
- Spend time with your loved ones to cope with stress and practice mindfulness techniques.
- Be mindful of salt; consume no more than 2,300 mg each day.
- Limit or avoid alcohol consumption.
- Quitting smoking is the best strategy to lower the risk of heart disease.
Special Advise
- Females who are able to get pregnant must use effective birth control during treatment with Ivabradine.
- Do not stop taking Ivabradine without talking with your doctor.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Stable angina pectoris: This condition is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart, when the heart is beating at a faster rate than normal to supply more oxygenated blood to the whole body. People dealing with angina may feel pressure, heaviness, and tightness in their chest.
Chronic Heart failure: Chronic Heart failure is also known as congestive heart failure, which happens when the heart fails to pump blood as much as it should. The possible factors include narrowed arteries in the heart, high blood pressure that weakens the heart, and the heart's inability to pump properly. The possible signs of heart failure include fatigue, rapid heartbeat, increased urge to urinate, rapid weight gain, severe shortness of breath, etc.
FAQs
Ivabradine is used to treat symptomatic stable angina pectoris and chronic heart failure.
Ivabradine contains Ivabradine, which works by reducing the heart rate by a few beats per minute. In this way, it lowers the heart's requirement for oxygen, especially in situations where an angina attack can happen. This helps control or reduce the chances of more angina attacks.
Yes, a woman should always take every measure, including a birth control pill, to prevent pregnancy while taking Ivabradine as this medicine can harm an unborn baby.
No, Ivabradine should not be used in those who are suffering from cardiogenic shock (a potentially fatal condition in which your heart suddenly cannot pump enough blood to fulfil your body's needs).
Reducing the heart rate is required in patients dealing with angina and heart failure. When the heart rate gets reduced, the heart can pump more blood into the whole body without affecting the heart's contraction and relaxation.
Do not stop taking Ivabradine on your own. After checking the heart activity, the doctor may reduce the dose before directly stopping the drug. A balanced diet, rest, and exercise are essential for maintaining good heart health, so the doctor may also recommend these lifestyle changes before discontinuing the medication directly.
Yes, a person taking Ivabradine needs to be under strict doctor's guidance. Monitoring the heart rate before the treatment and during the treatment is done to check the effects of the medicine. The monitoring of the heart is done with the help of an ECG.
No, usage of Ivabradine is prohibited in persons dealing with sick sinus syndrome, significant hypotension, or third-degree AV block. If you have any concerns regarding this, please discuss them with your doctor.
No, if a person is prescribed to take Ivabradine, they are strictly restricted from consuming grapefruit juice as it may worsen their side effects.
Ivabradine is a heart medicine (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel blocker) used to treat angina and heart failure.
Ivabradine may cause blurred/cloudy vision, double vision and impaired vision. Avoid driving, operating machinery or doing any activities that require proper vision until you know how this medicine affects you.
Overdose of Ivabradine may cause severe and prolonged bradycardia (slow heart rate), dizziness, lack of energy and excessive tiredness. Contact the doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms or if you have overdosed on Ivabradine.
Ivabradine may cause foetal toxicity. So, females of reproductive potential must use effective contraception whilst on treatment with Ivabradine. Regular monitoring of heart rhythm and heart rate is recommended.
Ivabradine does not lower blood pressure. It should not be used if you have very low blood pressure.
Ivabradine is not a beta-blocker. It belongs to the class of medications called hyperpolarisation-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel blockers. It helps the heart pump more blood through the body by slowing the heart rate.
Side effects of Ivabradine include tiredness, irregular or rapid heartbeat, headache, dizziness, visual impairment or blurry vision. Consult the doctor if any of the side effects bother you.
