Warnings for Nebivolol
Included as part of the "PRECAUTIONS" Section
Precautions for Nebivolol
Abrupt Cessation Of Therapy
Do not abruptly discontinue nebivolol therapy in patients with coronary artery disease. Severe exacerbation of angina, myocardial infarction and ventricular arrhythmiashave been reported in patients with coronary artery disease following the abrupt discontinuation of therapy with β-blockers. Myocardial infarction and ventriculararrhythmias may occur with or without preceding exacerbation of the angina pectoris. Caution patients without overt coronary artery disease against interruption orabrupt discontinuation of therapy. As with other β-blockers, when discontinuation of nebivolol is planned, carefully observe and advise patients to minimize physicalactivity. Taper nebivolol over 1 to 2 weeks when possible. If the angina worsens or acute coronary insufficiency develops, re-start nebivolol promptly, at leasttemporarily.
Angina And Acute Myocardial Infarction
Nebivolol was not studied in patients with angina pectoris or who had a recent MI.
Bronchospastic Diseases
In general, patients with bronchospastic diseases should not receive β-blockers.
Anesthesia And Major Surgery
Because beta-blocker withdrawal has been associated with an increased risk of MI and chest pain, patients already on beta-blockers should generally continue treatmentthroughout the perioperative period. If nebivolol is to be continued perioperatively, monitor patients closely when anesthetic agents which depress myocardial function,such as ether, cyclopropane, and trichloroethylene, are used. If β-blocking therapy is withdrawn prior to major surgery, the impaired ability of the heart to respond toreflex adrenergic stimuli may augment the risks of general anesthesia and surgical procedures.
The β-blocking effects of nebivolol can be reversed by β-agonists, e.g., dobutamine or isoproterenol. However, such patients may be subject to protracted severehypotension. Additionally, difficulty in restarting and maintaining the heartbeat has been reported with β-blockers.
Diabetes And Hypoglycemia
β-blockers may mask some of the manifestations of hypoglycemia, particularly tachycardia. Nonselective β-blockers may potentiate insulin-induced hypoglycemia anddelay recovery of serum glucose levels. It is not known whether nebivolol has these effects. Advise patients subject to spontaneous hypoglycemia and diabetic patientsreceiving insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents about these possibilities.
Thyrotoxicosis
β-blockers may mask clinical signs of hyperthyroidism, such as tachycardia. Abrupt withdrawal of β-blockers may be followed by an exacerbation of the symptoms ofhyperthyroidism or may precipitate a thyroid storm.
Peripheral Vascular Disease
β-blockers can precipitate or aggravate symptoms of arterial insufficiency in patients with peripheral vascular disease.
Non-Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers
Because of significant negative inotropic and chronotropic effects in patients treated with β-blockers and calcium channel blockers of the verapamil and diltiazem type,monitor the ECG and blood pressure in patients treated concomitantly with these agents.
Use With CYP2D6 Inhibitors
Nebivolol exposure increases with inhibition of CYP2D6 [see DRUG INTERACTIONS]. The dose of nebivolol may need to be reduced
Impaired Renal Function
Renal clearance of nebivolol is decreased in patients with severe renal impairment. Nebivolol has not been studied in patients receiving dialysis [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Impaired Hepatic Function
Metabolism of nebivolol is decreased in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Nebivolol has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Risk Of Anaphylactic Reactions
While taking β-blockers, patients with a history of severe anaphylactic reactions to a variety of allergens may be more reactive to repeated accidental, diagnostic, ortherapeutic challenge. Such patients may be unresponsive to the usual doses of epinephrine used to treat allergic reactions.
Pheochromocytoma
In patients with known or suspected pheochromocytoma, initiate an α-blocker prior to the use of any β-blocker.
Patient Counseling Information
See FDA-approved patient labeling (PATIENT INFORMATION).
Advise patients to take nebivolol tablets regularly and continuously, as directed. Nebivolol tablets can be taken with or without food. If a dose is missed, take the nextscheduled dose only (without doubling it). Do not interrupt or discontinue nebivolol tablets without consulting the physician.
Patients should know how they react to this medicine before they operate automobiles, use machinery, or engage in other tasks requiring alertness.
Advise patients to consult a physician if any difficulty in breathing occurs, or if they develop signs or symptoms of worsening congestive heart failure such as weightgain or increasing shortness of breath, or excessive bradycardia.
Caution patients subject to spontaneous hypoglycemia, or diabetic patients receiving insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents, that β-blockers may mask some of themanifestations of hypoglycemia, particularly tachycardia.
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
In a two-year study of nebivolol in mice, a statistically significant increase in the incidence of testicular Leydig cell hyperplasia and adenomas was observed at 40mg/kg/day (5 times the maximally recommended human dose of 40 mg on a mg/m2 basis). Similar findings were not reported in mice administered doses equal toapproximately 0.3 or 1.2 times the maximum recommended human dose. No evidence of a tumorigenic effect was observed in a 24-month study in Wistar rats receivingdoses of nebivolol 2.5, 10 and 40 mg/kg/day (equivalent to 0.6, 2.4, and 10 times the maximally recommended human dose). Co-administration of dihydrotestosteronereduced blood LH levels and prevented the Leydig cell hyperplasia, consistent with an indirect LH-mediated effect of nebivolol in mice and not thought to be clinicallyrelevant in man.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-and active-controlled, parallel-group study in healthy male volunteers was conducted to determine the effects of nebivolol onadrenal function, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone levels. This study demonstrated that 6 weeks of daily dosing with 10 mg of nebivolol had no significant effecton ACTH-stimulated mean serum cortisol AUC, serum LH, or serum total testosterone.
Effects on spermatogenesis were seen in male rats and mice at ≥ 40 mg/kg/day (10 and 5 times the MRHD, respectively). For rats the effects on spermatogenesis werenot reversed and may have worsened during a four week recovery period. The effects of nebivolol on sperm in mice, however, were partially reversible.
Mutagenesis
Nebivolol was not genotoxic when tested in a battery of assays (Ames, in vitro mouse lymphoma TK+/-, in vitro human peripheral lymphocytechromosome aberration, in vivo Drosophila melanogaster sex-linked recessive lethal, and in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus tests).
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
Available data regarding use of nebivolol in pregnant women are insufficient to determine whether there are drug-associated risks of adverse developmental outcomes.There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with poorly controlled hypertension in pregnancy. The use of beta blockers during the third trimester of pregnancymay increase the risk of hypotension, bradycardia, hypoglycemia, and respiratory depression in the neonate [see Clinical Considerations]. Oral administration ofnebivolol to pregnant rats during organogenesis resulted in embryofetal and perinatal lethality at doses approximately equivalent to the maximum recommended humandose (MRHD).
The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated backgroundrisk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.
Clinical Considerations
Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk
Hypertension in pregnancy increases the maternal risk for pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature delivery, and delivery complications (e.g., need for cesareansection, and post-partum hemorrhage). Hypertension increases the fetal risk for intrauterine growth restriction and intrauterine death. Pregnant women withhypertension should be carefully monitored and managed accordingly.
Fetal/Neonatal adverse reactions
Neonates of women with hypertension, who are treated with beta-blockers during the third trimester of pregnancy, may be at increased risk for hypotension,bradycardia, hypoglycemia, and respiratory depression. Observe newborns for symptoms of hypotension, bradycardia, hypoglycemia and respiratory depression andmanage accordingly.
Data
Animal Data
Nebivolol was shown to increase embryo-fetal and perinatal lethality in rats at approximately 1.2 times the MRHD or 40 mg/day on a mg/m2 basis. Decreased pup bodyweights occurred at 1.25 and 2.5 mg/kg in rats, when exposed during the perinatal period (late gestation, parturition and lactation). At 5 mg/kg and higher doses (1.2times the MRHD), prolonged gestation, dystocia and reduced maternal care were produced with corresponding increases in late fetal deaths and stillbirths and decreasedbirth weight, live litter size and pup survival. These events occurred only when nebivolol was given during the perinatal period (late gestation, parturition and lactation).Insufficient numbers of pups survived at 5 mg/kg to evaluate the offspring for reproductive performance.
In studies in which pregnant rats were given nebivolol during organogenesis, reduced fetal body weights were observed at maternally toxic doses of 20 and 40mg/kg/day (5 and 10 times the MRHD), and small reversible delays in sternal and thoracic ossification associated with the reduced fetal body weights and a smallincrease in resorption occurred at 40 mg/kg/day (10 times the MRHD).
No adverse effects on embryo-fetal viability, sex, weight or morphology were observed in studies in which nebivolol was given to pregnant rabbits at doses as high as20 mg/kg/day (10 times the MRHD).
Lactation
Risk Summary
There is no information regarding the presence of nebivolol in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Nebivolol is present inrat milk [see Data].
Because of the potential for β-blockers to produce serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, especially bradycardia, nebivolol is notrecommended during nursing.
Data
In lactating rats, maximum milk levels of unchanged nebivolol were observed at 4 hours after single and repeat doses of 2.5 mg/kg/day. The daily dose (mg/kg bodyweight) ingested by a rat pup is 0.3% of the dam dose for unchanged nebivolol.
Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. Pediatric studies in ages newborn to 18 years old have not been conducted because ofincomplete characterization of developmental toxicity and possible adverse effects on long-term fertility [see Nonclinical Toxicology].
Juvenile Animal Toxicity Data
Daily oral doses of nebivolol to juvenile rats from post-natal day 14 to post-natal day 27 showed sudden unexplained death at exposures equal to those in human poormetabolizers given a single dose of 10 mg. No mortality was seen at half the adult human exposure.
In surviving rats, cardiomyopathy was seen at exposures greater than or equal to the human exposure. Male rat pups exposed to twice the human exposure showeddecreases in total sperm count as well as decreases in the total and percentage of motile sperm.
Geriatric Use
Of the 2800 patients in the U.S. sponsored placebo-controlled clinical hypertension studies, 478 patients were 65 years of age or older. No overall differences in efficacyor in the incidence of adverse events were observed between older and younger patients.
Heart Failure
In a placebo-controlled trial of 2128 patients (1067 nebivolol, 1061 placebo) over 70 years of age with chronic heart failure receiving a maximum dose of 10 mg perday for a median of 20 months, no worsening of heart failure was reported with nebivolol compared to placebo.
However, if heart failure worsens consider discontinuation of nebivolol.