Midodrine (By mouth)
MYE-doe-dreen
Treats a kind of low blood pressure that can cause severe dizziness or fainting.
Drug classes
Vasopressor (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses
Uses of This Medicine
Midodrine is used to treat low blood pressure (hypotension). It works by stimulating nerve endings in blood vessels, causing the blood vessels to tighten. As a result, blood pressure is increased.
This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although not specifically included in product labeling, midodrine is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:
Low blood pressure (hypotension) caused by kidney dialysis.
Low blood pressure caused by certain medicines used to treat mental illness.
Low blood pressure in children with an infection.
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
Tablet
Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to use. Do not use more than directed.
Your doctor may tell you to take this medicine in the morning, at noon, and in the late afternoon.
Lying down after taking midodrine may cause your blood pressure to get too high. Don’t take the last dose of the day after 6 pm (unless your doctor tells you differently), and be sure you wait at least 3 to 4 hours after the last dose before going to bed.
Wait at least 3 hours between each dose of this medicine.
You may take this medicine with or without food.
If a dose is missed:
Take the missed dose as soon as possible, unless you are due to take your next dose within 3 hours.
Skip the missed dose if you are due to take your next dose within 3 hours.
You should not use two doses at the same time.
How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Make sure your doctor knows if you are taking cimetidine (Tagamet®), dihydroergotamine (DHE® 45), doxazosin (Cardura®), flecainide (Tambocor®), fludrocortisone (Florinef®), metformin (Glucophage®), prazosin (Minipress®), procainamide (Procan SR®), quinidine, ranitidine (Zantac®), terazosin (Hytrin®), or triamterene (Dyazide®, Dyrenium®).
Tell your doctor if you are taking digoxin (Lanoxin®) or beta blockers (such as atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol, timolol, Lopressor®, or Tenormin®). If your heart beats become slower or if you feel dizzy while taking midodrine, tell your doctor.
Some diet pills and over-the-counter cold and hay fever medicines can also raise your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor before taking these or any other medicines.
When Not To Use
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to midodrine, or if you have severe heart or kidney disease, an overactive thyroid, problems emptying your bladder, high blood pressure, or pheochromocytoma (a tumor on the adrenal gland).
Warnings
Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have liver disease, diabetes, glaucoma, or problems urinating.
This medicine will raise your blood pressure. Your blood pressure may get too high, especially when you lie down. Your doctor may want you to sleep with the head of your bed raised to help prevent this.
If your blood pressure gets too high, you may have a fast heartbeat, chest pain, pounding in your ears, a headache, or blurred vision. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor right away.
Your doctor will check your progress and the effects of this medicine at regular visits. Keep all appointments. You will need to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
If you have been taught to check your blood pressure yourself, check it on a regular schedule. Your blood pressure should stay within a certain range. Your doctor will tell you what that range should be. If your blood pressure is out of that range, call your doctor.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Chest pain.
Eye pain or blurred vision.
Fast heartbeat.
Pounding in your ears, headache.
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Chills or goosebumps.
Stomach pain.
Tingling or itching, especially on your scalp.
Urinating more often than usual or feeling the urge to urinate more often.
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
Orvaten, Proamatine
There may be other brand names for this medicine.
