These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Toprol XL
Question: My mother is taking Toprol XL, and has been for many years, to treat high blood pressure and nervousness. She is 71 years old. She has also been prescribed something called “Tranxene”.
Answer: Toprol XL is the brand name for metaprolol succinate extended release tablets. Metoprolol is a relatively selective beta-blocker which is used in several areas, but is mainly used to treat angina and hypertension. This class of drug has been available for about fourteen years and tends to have most of the common side effects of beta-blockers. These include fatigue, some difficulty with sleeping or dreams, slow heart beat, and occasionally shortness of breath. Since it is a selective beta-blocker, it will have less shortness of breath than non-selective blockers like propranolol.
Tranxene is the brand name for clorazepate dipotassium. This is a benzodiazepine very similar in action to more familiar drugs like valium and librium. It is used in anxiety disorders for short term relief of anxiety. Its side effects include lethargy, drowsiness, and mental confusion. It should never be stopped abruptly as a withdrawal syndrome may occur. These withdrawals have occasionally produced death.
