Catapres-TTS-2 Transdermal

Clonidine lowers blood pressure by decreasing the levels of certain chemicals in your blood. This allows your blood vessels to relax and your heart to beat more slowly and easily.

Catapres-TTS-2 (skin patch) is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). It is sometimes used together with other blood pressure medications.

Catapres-TTS-2 may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Read all patient information, medication guides, and instruction sheets provided to you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after applying a skin patch. Also wash the skin area where the patch is worn. Rinse and wipe dry with a clean tissue.

Apply the skin patch to a flat, hairless area of the chest, back, side, or outer side of your upper arm. To remove any hair from these areas, clip the hair short but do not shave it. Press the patch firmly with the palm making sure it sticks, especially around the edges.

Remove the skin patch after 7 days and replace it with a new one. Choose a different place on your skin to wear the patch each time you put on a new one. Do not use the same skin area 2 weeks in a row.

Do not wear more than 1 patch at a time unless your doctor has told you to.

Clonidine skin patches come with optional "cover" patches. The cover patch is placed over the clonidine patch to help it stick to your skin. The clonidine patch is square and the cover patch is round. The cover patch does not contain any active medicine. It should be worn only over a clonidine patch.

You may use a cover patch if the clonidine patch becomes loose or falls off before you have worn it for 7 days. Apply the cover patch over the clonidine patch. Keep both patches on for the rest of your 7-day wearing time.

After removing a skin patch fold it in half, sticky side in, and throw it away where children and pets cannot get to it.

The Catapres-TTS-2 patch may burn your skin if you wear the patch during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Remove the clonidine patch before undergoing such a test.

Tell any healthcare provider who treats you that you are using Catapres-TTS-2. If you need emergency heart resuscitation, your family or caregivers should tell emergency medical personnel if you are wearing a clonidine skin patch. The patch should be removed before any electrical equipment (such as a defibrillator) is used on you.

Do not stop using Catapres-TTS-2 suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine.

Keep using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep each skin patch in the foil pouch until you are ready to use it.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath) followed by low blood pressure (feeling light-headed, fainting, drowsiness, cold feeling, slow heart rate, shallow breathing, weakness, or pinpoint pupils).

Using this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy or lower your blood pressure can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor before using Catapres-TTS-2 with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

Other drugs may interact with clonidine transdermal, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.