What Is Nadolol Used For?
Nadolol is prescribed for several conditions, including high blood pressure and angina. It is a beta blocker medication that has been shown to decrease the heart rate, blood pressure, and the workload of the heart. Healthcare providers may sometimes prescribe this drug for "off-label" uses. Common off-label uses of nadolol include the treatment of anxiety, heart failure, and arrhythmias.
Nadolol (Corgard®) is a prescription beta blocker medication approved for treating the following conditions:
Angina is a type of heart disease that occurs when the heart muscle is not getting enough nutrient-rich and oxygen-rich blood for a short period of time. The inadequate blood flow is caused by narrowed coronary arteries (the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart). Chest pain is the most common angina symptom that occurs (see Angina Symptoms for other symptoms of angina).
Nadolol is effective at treating symptoms of angina because it decreases the workload of the heart. This, in turn, means that the heart needs less oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to function properly at any given level of effort. Nadolol does not cure this type of heart disease.
When your blood pressure is measured, the results are given as a combination of two numbers (for example, 120/80, said as "120 over 80"). The top number is known as the systolic blood pressure, and the bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure. High blood pressure is defined as an average blood pressure higher than 140/90 with multiple blood pressure measurements. Multiple measurements (preferably on different days) are necessary because blood pressure naturally varies quite a bit, and it is necessary to measure it multiple times to make sure there really is a problem.
A single dose of nadolol can lower blood pressure for about 24 hours. By lowering blood pressure, blood pressure medications are thought to decrease the risks that occur with long-term high blood pressure (see Effects of High Blood Pressure). Nadolol does not, however, cure high blood pressure. It can be used alone or in combination with other blood pressure medications.