The Blood Pressure Medicine Clonidine Provides a New Treatment Options for Other Afflictions
Clonidine is a prescription medication primarily used to treat hypertension, or high blood pressure in adult patients. Clonidine lowers blood pressure by stimulating specific receptors in the brain which then signal blood vessels to relax and subsequently widen, allowing blood to flow through more easily to all parts of the body. Additionally, by relaxing these blood vessels, the heart does not have to work so hard to circulate blood throughout the body.
Recently, Clonidine has begun to be prescribed to patients suffering from afflictions other than hypertension. Some of these include opiate detoxification, sleep hyperhydrosis and neuropathic pain. Clonidine acts as facilitator of opiate detoxification by helping to alleviate some of the withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin addiction such as sweating, hot and cold flashes and overall restlessness. Clonidine also helps to treat sleep hyperhydrosis which is characterized by excessive nighttime sweating even when room temperature is normal or even slightly chilly. However, before considering Clonidine with your doctor as a treatment fro sleep hyperhydrosis, be sure that any other causes of nighttime sweating, such as dips in blood sugar levels have been ruled out and the sweating isn’t a symptom of a greater overall problem.
Before beginning a Clonidine, prescription, be sure to tell your physician if you have ever been diagnosed with any type of heart condition, have had a heart attack or stroke or have kidney disease. Also, be sure that both your doctor and pharmacist are aware of all medications presently being taken including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements. This will lessen the potential for harmful drug interactions or a counteraction with other drug ingredients thereby decreasing the medicine’s potency.
As with any medication, Clonidine has a propensity to cause various side effects in certain individuals. Some of the more common and less serious side effects include fatigue, headache, insomnia and dizziness. An individual experiencing any of these side effects should speak to their doctor but can continue taking Clonidine as directed. More serious side effects include a slower than normal heart rate, an allergic reaction and fluctuations in blood pressure. Any of these occurrences should prompt an immediate cessation of Clonidine and a doctor’s care should be sought immediately.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
