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6 ADVERSE REACTIONS Most common adverse events (6.1): Left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction (≥10%): Dizziness, fatigue, hypotension, diarrhea, hyperglycemia, asthenia, bradycardia, weight increase Hypertension (≥5%): Dizziness 6.1 Clinical Studies Experience Carvedilol has been evaluated for safety in patients with left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction and in hypertensive patients. The observed adverse event profile was consistent with the pharmacology of the drug and the health status of the patients in the clinical trials. Adverse events reported for each of these patient populations are provided below. Excluded are adverse events considered too general to be informative, and those not reasonably associated with the use of the drug because they were associated with the condition being treated or are very common in the treated population. Rates of adverse events were generally similar across demographic subsets (men and women, elderly and non-elderly, blacks and non-blacks). Left Ventricular Dysfunction Following Myocardial Infarction Carvedilol has been evaluated for safety in survivors of an acute myocardial infarction with left ventricular dysfunction in the CAPRICORN trial which involved 969 patients who received carvedilol and 980 who received placebo. Approximately 75% of the patients received carvedilol for at least 6 months and 53% received carvedilol for at least 12 months. Patients were treated for an average of 12.9 months and 12.8 months with carvedilol and placebo, respectively. The following adverse events were reported with a frequency of >1% but ≤3% and more frequently with carvedilol: flu syndrome, cerebrovascular accident, peripheral vascular disorder, hypotonia, depression, gastrointestinal pain, arthritis, and gout. The overall rates of discontinuations due to adverse events were similar in both groups of patients. In this database, the only cause of discontinuation >1%, and occurring more often on carvedilol was hypotension (1.5% on carvedilol, 0.2% on placebo). Hypertension Carvedilol has been evaluated for safety in hypertension in more than 2,193 patients in US clinical trials and in 2,976 patients in international clinical trials. Approximately 36% of the total treated population received carvedilol for at least 6 months. Most adverse events reported during therapy with carvedilol were of mild to moderate severity. In US controlled clinical trials directly comparing carvedilol in doses up to 50 mg (n = 1,142) to placebo (n = 462), 4.9% of patients receiving carvedilol discontinued for adverse events versus 5.2% of placebo patients. Although there was no overall difference in discontinuation rates, discontinuations were more common in the carvedilol group for postural hypotension (1% versus 0). The overall incidence of adverse events in US placebo-controlled trials increased with increasing dose of carvedilol. For individual adverse events this could only be distinguished for dizziness, which increased in frequency from 2% to 5% as total daily dose increased from 6.25 mg to 50 mg. Table 1 shows adverse events in US placebo-controlled clinical trials for hypertension that occurred with an incidence of >1% regardless of causality, and that were more frequent in drug treated patients than placebo-treated patients. Table 1. Adverse Events (%) Occurring in US Placebo-Controlled Hypertension Trials (Incidence ≥1%, Regardless of Causality)* Carvedilol (n=1,142) Placebo (n=462) *Shown are events with rate >1% rounded to nearest integer. Cardiovascular Bradycardia 2 - Postural hypotension 2 - Peripheral edema 1 - Central Nervous System Dizziness 6 5 Insomnia 2 1 Gastrointestinal Diarrhea 2 1 Hematologic Thrombocytopenia 1 - Metabolic Hypertriglyceridemia 1 - Dyspnea and fatigue were also reported in these studies, but the rates were equal or greater in patients who received placebo. The following adverse events not described above were reported as possibly or probably related to carvedilol in worldwide open or controlled trials with carvedilol in patients with hypertension. Incidence >0.1% to ≤1% Cardiovascular: Peripheral ischemia, tachycardia. Central and Peripheral Nervous System: Hypokinesia. Gastrointestinal: Bilirubinemia, increased hepatic enzymes (0.2% of hypertension patients discontinued from therapy because of increases in hepatic enzymes) [see Adverse Reactions (6.2)]. Psychiatric: Nervousness, sleep disorder, aggravated depression, impaired concentration, abnormal thinking, paroniria, emotional lability. Respiratory System: Asthma [see Contraindications (4)]. Reproductive, male: Decreased libido. Skin and Appendages : Pruritus, rash erythematous, rash maculopapular, rash psoriaform, photosensitivity reaction. Special Senses: Tinnitus. Urinary System: Micturition frequency increased. Autonomic Nervous System : Dry mouth, sweating increased. Metabolic and Nutritional: Hypokalemia, hypertriglyceridemia. Hematologic: Anemia, leukopenia. Urinary System: Micturition frequency increased. Autonomic Nervous System: Dry mouth, sweating increased. Metabolic and Nutritional : Hypokalemia, hypertriglyceridemia. Hematologic: Anemia, leukopenia. The following events were reported in ≤0.1% of patients and are potentially important: Complete AV block, bundle branch block, myocardial ischemia, cerebrovascular disorder, convulsions, migraine, neuralgia, paresis, anaphylactoid reaction, alopecia, exfoliative dermatitis, amnesia, GI hemorrhage, bronchospasm, pulmonary edema, decreased hearing, respiratory alkalosis, increased BUN, decreased HDL, pancytopenia, and atypical lymphocytes. 6.2 Laboratory Abnormalities Reversible elevations in serum transaminases (ALT or AST) have been observed during treatment with carvedilol. Rates of transaminase elevations (2 to 3 times the upper limit of normal) observed during controlled clinical trials have generally been similar between patients treated with carvedilol and those treated with placebo. However, transaminase elevations, confirmed by rechallenge, have been observed with carvedilol. In a long-term, placebo-controlled trial in severe heart failure, patients treated with carvedilol had lower values for hepatic transaminases than patients treated with placebo, possibly because carvedilol-induced improvements in cardiac function led to less hepatic congestion and/or improved hepatic blood flow. Carvedilol has not been associated with clinically significant changes in serum potassium, total triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, or creatinine. No clinically relevant changes were noted in fasting serum glucose in hypertensive patients. 6.3 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of carvedilol. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Reports of aplastic anemia and severe skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and erythema multiforme) have been rare and received only when carvedilol was administered concomitantly with other medications associated with such reactions. Urinary incontinence in women (which resolved upon discontinuation of the medication) and interstitial pneumonitis have been reported rarely.