labetalol

In some rare cases, some people who take labetalol have reported severe liver injury, which can lead to liver failure and sometimes death. Keep in mind that this injury can occur whether you've taken this medication for a short or long period of time with very little symptoms. If you experience frequent itching, dark urine, weight loss, yellowing of the skin, stomach pain, or unexplained “flu-like” symptoms, let your healthcare team know right away. Your care team will ask you to do lab work to check your liver health. In some cases, you might be asked to stop taking labetalol.

Labetalol might lead to heart failure or worsen heart failure in people who already have it. This is because labetalol can slow down your heart, which leads to your heart muscle not pumping as often. In people with a history of heart problems, this can cause their heart to not work as well, leading to heart failure. People with heart failure shouldn't take labetalol if their heart failure symptoms aren’t well-managed. Discuss with your healthcare team before starting labetalol if you have a history of heart failure. Let your care team know right away if you experience symptoms such as trouble breathing, tiredness, swelling in your body, or sudden weight gain. Your healthcare team might ask you to stop this medication if you have symptoms of heart failure.

Don’t stop taking labetalol suddenly since it can worsen your chest pain or heart attack. If you need to stop taking this medication for any reason, let your healthcare team know. They can work with you to lower your dose safely over time. While your dose is being lowered, make sure to limit physical activity as much as possible to lower the stress on your heart. Watch out for symptoms of heart attack (e.g., chest pain and tightness, pain that spreads to arms and neck, trouble breathing, lightheadedness, fatigue). Get medical attention right away if you have any of these symptoms.

Labetalol can cause the vessels in your lung to tighten. This can make breathing difficult, especially in people with breathing problems, like asthma. To be safe, make sure your healthcare team knows about your full medical history before starting this medication. Your care team will start you on the lowest dose possible that works well for you.

Taking labetalol can make it difficult for you to identify some symptoms of low blood sugar, such as fast heart beat or tremors. If you’re taking blood sugar medications, you might not be able to rely on all the typical symptoms of low blood sugar to warn you of a dangerous drop in your sugar levels. Watch out for sweating, which isn't affected by labetalol, to identify low blood sugar episodes. If you have diabetes, speak with your healthcare team about how often to monitor your blood sugar once you start labetalol.

If you're planning to undergo a major surgery requiring anesthesia, tell your surgeon that you are taking labetalol. Beta blockers, such as labetalol, might raise the risk of side effects from anesthesia. If you've been taking it for a while, your surgeon might not ask you to stop it, but they'll need to monitor your heart closely during your procedure.