Patient's Guide to Heart Transplant Surgery

Clonidine Hydrochloride
(Catapres TTS1-TTS-3)

Dosage
The patch is applied weekly. Dosages range from 0.1 mg to 0.3 mg a day through the skin.

Action
Helps to control high blood pressure by blocking that part of the brain which causes the narrowing of blood vessels. As a result, the blood vessels relax and dilate. When blood vessels dilate, your blood pressure is lowered.

Side Effects
Most common are: dry mouth, drowsiness, sedation, constipation, dizziness, headache, and fatigue. Most of these side effects will decrease over time. Other possible effects include: nausea, vomiting, and decrease in sexual function.

Cautions
Because this drug causes drowsiness, be careful about driving or operating any sort of appliance or machinery. Avoid using alcohol, cough, cold or allergy medications, pain or sedative medications, and tranquilizers with Catapres, it may increase effect.

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