Tarka Medication - Uses & Side Effects

TRANDOLAPRIL-VERAPAMIL (Tarka®) is a combination of two drugs used to lower blood pressure. They lower, but do not cure high blood pressure. Generic trandolapril; verapamil tablets are not yet available. Tarka is used to treat high blood pressure. It combines two blood pressure drugs: an ACE inhibitor and a calcium channel blocker. The ACE inhibitor (trandolapril) lowers blood pressure by preventing a chemical in your blood called angiotensin I from converting to a more potent form that narrows the blood vessels and increases salt and water retention. The calcium channel blocker (verapamil hydrochloride) also works to keep the blood vessels open, and eases the heart's workload by reducing the force and rate of your heartbeat.

Tarka Dosage

• Tarka comes in four strengths of trandolapril and sustained-release verapamil. Your doctor will prescribe a dose of Tarka that is comparable to the doses you were taking separately. Doses range from 1 to 4 milligrams of trandolapril and 180 to 240 milligrams of verapamil. Tarka is taken once a day with food.
• If you are over 65 years old, you may be more sensitive to Tarka. Your doctor will monitor your blood pressure more closely and adjust your medication dose accordingly.

Uses of Tarka

• TARKA (trandolapril/verapamil HCl ER) is used to treat high blood pressure.
• Trandolapril and verapamil is used to treat hypertension.
• Trandolapril and verapamil may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Side Effects of Tarka

Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Tarka. Side effects may include:

• Constipation
• cough
• dizziness
• headache
• heartbeat irregularities
• upper respiratory tract infection

Warnings and precautions before taking Tarka :

• Call your doctor immediately if you begin to suffer angioedema while taking Tarka. Warning signs include swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; swelling of the arms and legs; and difficulty swallowing or breathing.
• Bee or wasp venom given to prevent an allergic reaction to stings may cause a severe allergic reaction to Tarka. Kidney dialysis can also prompt an allergic reaction to the drug.
• Tarka sometimes causes a severe drop in blood pressure. The danger is especially great if you have been taking water pills (diuretics), or if you have heart disease, kidney disease, or a potassium or salt imbalance. Excessive sweating, severe diarrhea, and vomiting are also a threat. They can rob the body of water, causing a dangerous drop in blood pressure. If you feel light-headed or faint, you should lie down and contact your doctor immediately.
• Because another of the ACE inhibitors, Capoten, has been known to cause serious blood disorders, your doctor will check your blood regularly while you are taking Tarka. If you develop signs of infection such as a sore throat or a fever, you should contact your doctor at once-an infection could be a signal of blood abnormalities.
• Tarka may also affect the liver, so your doctor will perform liver function tests periodically. Report these symptoms of liver problems to your doctor immediately: a generally run-down feeling, fever, pain in the upper right abdomen, or yellowing of the skin or the whites of your eyes.
• If you have a heart condition, heart failure, cardiac irregularities, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, or Duchenne's dystrophy (the most common type of muscular dystrophy), make certain that your doctor knows about it. Tarka should be used with caution under these circumstances.
• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking verapamil and trandolapril.

Drug Interaction :- If Tarka is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Tarka with the following:

• Drugs classified as "beta blockers," such as Inderal, Lopressor, and Tenormin
  
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
  
• Cimetidine (Tagamet)
  
• Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
  
• Digoxin (Lanoxin)
  
• Disopyramide (Norpace)
  
• Diuretics such as Lasix and HydroDIURIL
  
• Flecainide (Tambocor)
  
• Lithium (Lithonate, Lithobid)
  
• Phenobarbital
  
• Potassium-sparing diuretics such as Aldactone, Midamor, Dyrenium
  
• Potassium supplements such as K-Lyte, K-Tabs, and Slow-K
  
• Quinidine (Quinidex)
  
• Rifampin (Rifadin)
  
• Theophylline (Theo-Dur)

Overdose

An overdose of Tarka can cause dangerously low blood pressure and life-threatening heart problems. If you suspect an overdose, seek medical treatment immediately. Symptoms of a trandolapril and verapamil overdose are unknown but might include extreme dizziness, weakness, fainting, fatigue chest pain, shortness of breath, an unusually fast or slow heartbeat, coma, slurred speech, and confusion.