SIDE EFFECTS
Safety data are available in more than 30,000 patients or volunteers. Frequency estimates and rates of
withdrawal of therapy for adverse events were derived from two U.S. placebo-controlled studies.
In Study A, doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg bisoprolol fumarate were administered for 4 weeks. In Study B,
doses of 2.5, 10, and 40 mg of bisoprolol fumarate were administered for 12 weeks. A total of 273
patients were treated with 5-20 mg of bisoprolol fumarate; 132 received placebo.
Withdrawal of therapy for adverse events was 3.3% for patients receiving bisoprolol fumarate and
6.8% for patients on placebo. Withdrawals were less than 1% for either bradycardia or fatigue/lack of
energy.
The following table presents adverse experiences, whether or not considered drug related, reported in
at least 1% of patients in these studies, for all patients studied in placebo-controlled clinical trials (2.5-
40 mg), as well as for a subgroup that was treated with doses within the recommended dosage range (5-
20 mg). Of the adverse events listed in the table, bradycardia, diarrhea, asthenia, fatigue, and sinusitis
appear to be dose related.
Body System/
Adverse Experience |
All Adverse Experiences (% )
Bisoprolol Fumarate |
Placebo
(n=132) % |
5-20 mg
(n=273) % |
2.5-40 mg
(n=404) % |
Skin |
|
|
|
increased sweating |
1.5 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
Musculoskeletal |
|
|
|
arthralgia |
2.3 |
2.2 |
2.7 |
Central Nervous System |
|
|
|
dizziness |
3.8 |
2.9 |
3.5 |
headache |
11.4 |
8.8 |
10.9 |
hypoaesthesia |
0.8 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
Autonomic Nervous System |
|
|
|
dry mouth |
1.5 |
0.7 |
1.3 |
Heart Rate/Rhythm |
|
|
|
bradycardia |
0 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
Psychiatric |
|
|
|
vivid dreams |
0 |
0 |
0 |
insomnia |
2.3 |
1.5 |
2.5 |
depression |
0.8 |
0 |
0.2 |
Gastrointestinal |
|
|
|
diarrhea |
1.5 |
2.6 |
3.5 |
nausea |
1.5 |
1.5 |
2.2 |
vomiting |
0 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
Respiratory |
|
|
|
bronchospasm |
0 |
0 |
0 |
cough |
4.5 |
2.6 |
2.5 |
dyspnea |
0.8 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
pharyngitis |
2.3 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
rhinitis |
3.0 |
2.9 |
4.0 |
sinusitis |
1.5 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
URI |
3.8 |
4.8 |
5.0 |
Body as a Whole |
|
|
|
asthenia |
0 |
0.4 |
1.5 |
chest pain |
0.8 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
fatigue |
1.5 |
6.6 |
8.2 |
edema (peripheral) |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.0 |
*percentage of patients with event |
The following is a comprehensive list of adverse experiences reported with bisoprolol fumarate in
worldwide studies, or in postmarketing experience (in italics):
Central Nervous System
Dizziness, unsteadiness, vertigo, syncope, headache, paresthesia, hypoesthesia, hyperesthesia,
somnolence, sleep disturbances, anxiety/restlessness, decreased concentration/memory.
Autonomic Nervous System
Dry mouth.
Cardiovascular
Bradycardia, palpitations and other rhythm disturbances, cold extremities, claudication, hypotension,
orthostatic hypotension, chest pain, congestive heart failure, dyspnea on exertion.
Psychiatric
Vivid dreams, insomnia, depression.
Gastrointestinal
Gastric/epigastric/abdominal pain, gastritis, dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, peptic
ulcer.
Musculoskeletal
Muscle/joint pain, arthralgia, back/neck pain, muscle cramps, twitching/tremor.
Skin
Rash, acne, eczema, psoriasis, skin irritation, pruritus, flushing, sweating, alopecia, dermatitis,
angioedema, exfoliative dermatitis, cutaneous vasculitis.
Special Senses
Visual disturbances, ocular pain/pressure, abnormal lacrimation, tinnitus, decreased hearing, earache,
taste abnormalities.
Metabolic
Gout.
Respiratory
Asthma/bronchospasm, bronchitis, coughing, dyspnea, pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, URI.
Genitourinary
Decreased libido/impotence, Peyronie's disease, cystitis, renal colic, polyuria.
Hematologic
Purpura.
General
Fatigue, asthenia, chest pain, malaise, edema, weight gain, angioedema.
In addition, a variety of adverse effects have been reported with other beta-adrenergic blocking agents
and should be considered potential adverse effects of ZEBETA:
Central Nervous System
Reversible mental depression progressing to catatonia, hallucinations, an acute reversible syndrome
characterized by disorientation to time and place, emotional lability, slightly clouded sensorium.
Allergic
Fever, combined with aching and sore throat, laryngospasm, respiratory distress.
Hematologic
Agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura.
Gastrointestinal
Mesenteric arterial thrombosis, ischemic colitis.
Miscellaneous
The oculomucocutaneous syndrome associated with the beta-blocker practolol has not been reported
with ZEBETA (bisoprolol fumarate) during investigational use or extensive foreign marketing
experience.
Laboratory Abnormalities
In clinical trials, the most frequently reported laboratory change was an increase in serum triglycerides,
but this was not a consistent finding.
Sporadic liver test abnormalities have been reported. In the U.S. controlled trials experience with
bisoprolol fumarate treatment for 4-12 weeks, the incidence of concomitant elevations in SGOT and
SGPT from 1 to 2 times normal was 3.9%, compared to 2.5% for placebo. No patient had concomitant
elevations greater than twice normal.
In the long-term, uncontrolled experience with bisoprolol fumarate treatment for 6-18 months, the
incidence of one or more concomitant elevations in SGOT and SGPT from 1 to 2 times normal was
6.2%. The incidence of multiple occurrences was 1.9%. For concomitant elevations in SGOT and
SGPT of greater than twice normal, the incidence was 1.5%. The incidence of multiple occurrences
was 0.3%. In many cases these elevations were attributed to underlying disorders, or resolved during
continued treatment with bisoprolol fumarate.
Other laboratory changes included small increases in uric acid, creatinine, BUN, serum potassium,
glucose, and phosphorus and decreases in WBC and platelets. These were generally not of clinical
importance and rarely resulted in discontinuation of bisoprolol fumarate.
As with other beta-blockers, ANA conversions have also been reported on bisoprolol fumarate. About
15% of patients in long-term studies converted to a positive titer, although about one-third of these
patients subsequently reconverted to a negative titer while on continued therapy.