Ivabrad 5: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects
Also in: हिन्दी தமிழ் ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ଓଡ଼ିଆ অসমীয়া
Also known as: Ivabrad, Ivabrad 5 mg, Ivabrad 5 tablet, Ivabradine 5 mg
Ivabrad 5 is a prescription tablet containing 5 mg of ivabradine, a medicine that slows the heart rate. It is used in some people with long-term stable angina or chronic heart failure whose heart rate stays high despite other treatment. It can cause a very slow heartbeat, atrial fibrillation and temporary bright flashes in vision. It must not be taken in pregnancy.
- Active ingredient
- Ivabradine 5 mg
- Type of medicine
- If channel inhibitors
- Used for
- Angina, Heart failure
- Starts working in
- Heart rate begins to fall within hours; the doctor judges the effect over weeks
- Effect lasts
- Taken twice a day; check the pack
- With or without food
- Usually taken with food; follow the label or your doctor's advice
- Alcohol
- Alcohol can add to dizziness; ask your doctor
- Pregnancy
- No. Must not be used in pregnancy or breastfeeding; tell your doctor at once if you are or may be pregnant
- Habit-forming
- No
- Made by
- VERIFY on pack
Pharmacist review in progress. This page is based on the sources listed below and is being checked by our registered pharmacist.
On this page
- What is Ivabrad 5 used for?
- How does Ivabrad 5 work?
- How to take Ivabrad 5
- Side effects of Ivabrad 5
- Who should be careful
- Medicines and things that interact with Ivabrad 5
- If someone takes too much
- Storage
- Regulatory status in India
- Other brands with the same medicine
- Other strengths and forms
- Common questions
What is Ivabrad 5 used for?
Ivabrad 5 is a prescription medicine. It is used, on a doctor's advice, in some people with long-term stable angina or chronic heart failure who have a fast heart rate.
- Treating long-term stable angina in adults with coronary artery disease, normal heart rhythm and a fast resting heart rate, when a doctor judges it suitable
- Treating chronic heart failure in adults with normal heart rhythm and a fast resting heart rate, together with standard treatment, when a doctor judges it suitable
How does Ivabrad 5 work?
Ivabradine blocks a current called If in the sinus node, the heart's natural pacemaker. The pacemaker fires more slowly, so the heart rate falls and the heart needs less oxygen, without a large drop in blood pressure.
What happens in your body after you take it
You swallow the tablet
The tablet dissolves in the gut and ivabradine is absorbed into the blood. Taking it with food is usual.
It reaches the heart
The blood carries it to the sinus node, the small area that sets the heartbeat.
It blocks the If current
Ivabradine blocks the channel that carries the If current, which helps drive each heartbeat.
The heart rate falls
The pacemaker fires more slowly. The heart needs less oxygen, so angina is reduced, and in heart failure a slower rate helps the heart.
The body clears it
Ivabradine is broken down in the liver and removed by the body. It is taken twice a day. The heart rate can rise again if doses are missed or stopped.
How to take Ivabrad 5
Take Ivabrad 5 exactly as your doctor has prescribed or as printed on the pack. Your doctor decides the dose and how long you need it.
- It is usually taken twice a day with food, at about the same times each day.
- Follow the label or your doctor's advice. Your doctor may check your pulse and heart rhythm.
- Avoid grapefruit juice, which can raise the level of the medicine.
- Take care when driving at night, because it can cause temporary brightness in vision.
- If you miss a dose, take it when you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Do not take two doses together.
- Do not stop taking it on your own; talk to your doctor first.
Side effects of Ivabrad 5
Most people take ivabradine without serious problems. Some side effects are common and mild, but a few need medical help.
Uncommon or mild
- Temporary flashes or patches of brightness in vision (phosphenes), mostly in the first months
- Slow heart rate
- Headache or dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Raised blood pressure
Rare but serious: get medical help
- Very slow heartbeat with fainting, severe dizziness or unusual tiredness
- An irregular or fast, fluttering heartbeat (possible atrial fibrillation)
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing (a severe allergic reaction). Get medical help immediately
Who should be careful
Some people need to check with a doctor before taking Ivabrad 5, or need extra care while taking it.
When the label says not to use it
- Allergy to ivabradine or any ingredient
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Taking strong CYP3A4 inhibitors
- Very slow heart rate or very low blood pressure
- Pregnancy: do not take it; women who could become pregnant need to use contraception. Tell your doctor straight away if you become pregnant
- Breastfeeding: not recommended
- A low resting heart rate, very low blood pressure, heart block or sick sinus syndrome
- Recent heart attack, unstable or acute heart failure, or unstable angina
- Severe liver problems
- Atrial fibrillation or other rhythm disorders: your doctor will check your rhythm
- Driving at night: temporary brightness in vision can affect it
Medicines and things that interact with Ivabrad 5
Ivabrad 5 can change how other medicines work, and some medicines change its effect. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about everything you take, including herbal remedies and medicines bought over the counter.
- Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as some antifungal medicines (for example ketoconazole), some macrolide antibiotics and HIV medicines: must not be used together
- Diltiazem or verapamil, and grapefruit juice: raise the level of ivabradine, so doctors avoid them
- Digoxin, amiodarone and beta blockers: heart rate can fall too far, so it is monitored
- St. John's wort, rifampicin and some epilepsy medicines: can lower the effect and are avoided
If someone takes too much
Taking more than prescribed can cause a very slow heartbeat, dizziness and fainting. If someone has taken much more than prescribed, call 112 or go to the nearest hospital and take the medicine pack with you.
Storage
Store below 30 C in a dry place, in the original pack and protected from light and moisture, out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date. Check the pack for the exact storage instructions.
Regulatory status in India
Approved for sale in India as a prescription medicine. Single-ingredient ivabradine is not on the CDSCO list of medicines banned under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. This product is expected to contain ivabradine only; check the pack.
Other brands with the same medicine
Ivabradine 5 mg tablets are sold under other brand names and as generic medicines. They contain the same medicine; check the label for the strength. Do not switch between products without asking your doctor.
Other strengths and forms
Ivabradine is sold in different strengths. The strength is printed on the pack and is not the same across products, so check the label of the one you have.
Common questions
Is Ivabrad 5 a prescription medicine?
Yes. It should be taken only if a doctor has prescribed it, and should not be started, stopped or changed without the doctor's advice.
What is ivabradine used for?
It is a prescription medicine that slows the heart rate. In the EU it is authorised for long-term stable angina and for chronic heart failure in people whose heart rate stays high. A doctor decides whether it suits you.
Is ivabradine safe in pregnancy?
No. The EMA says it must not be used in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and women who could become pregnant must use contraception. If you are pregnant or planning a baby, tell your doctor right away without stopping it on your own.
Why do I see flashes of light on ivabradine?
It can cause temporary patches of brightness in vision, called phosphenes, mostly in the first two months. They are usually mild. Take care when driving at night and tell your doctor if they bother you.
Can ivabradine cause an irregular heartbeat?
It can slow the heart too much and raises the chance of atrial fibrillation. Report dizziness, fainting, a very slow pulse or a fast, fluttering heartbeat promptly. Your doctor may check your rhythm from time to time.
Should ivabradine be taken with food?
The US label advises taking it twice a day with food. Follow the label or your doctor's advice, and avoid grapefruit juice.
What is the difference between Ivabrad 5 and ivabradine 5 mg?
Ivabrad 5 is a brand name and ivabradine is the medicine inside it. Generic tablets or capsules contain the same active ingredient. Check the strength and form on the pack, and ask your doctor before switching products.
Sources
- Procoralan (ivabradine): EPAR medicine overview. European Medicines Agency
- Ivabradine tablets: prescribing information (Novadoz). DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Angina. NHS (UK)
- Heart failure. NHS (UK)
- ATC/DDD Index: C01EB Other cardiac preparations. WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology
- List of drugs prohibited for manufacture and sale through gazette notifications under section 26A of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)