Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

[mtlieb]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Julie,

Pat is correct, Toprol-XL is metoprolol (that is where they derived the brand name from... me-Toprol-ol). There are actually several forms of metoprolol being discussed on this thread, so it can be confusing, but they are all basically the same drug.

Lopressor and Toprol are common brand names for plain old metoprolol. They've been around a long time, so they are also available in generic form, which is usually called Metoprolol Tartrate. That is what you are now taking. The only drawback to these older drugs, or their generic version, is that you have to take them more often throughout the day to maintain coverage.

Toprol-XL is a newer, long-acting form of metoprolol that you only have to take once a day. It seems to be the beta-blocker of choice right now among heart docs, and the drug company that makes it is throwing out lots of samples to the docs to help promote it. It's a good drug, but since it is newer than the rest, it is still under patent protection which means it won't be available in generic form for some time. Subsequently, it can be quite expensive.

I guess what i don't understand is... if you were having problems with the long-acting Toprol-XL... why does your doctor feel you would do better on generic metoprolol, which you have to take more often?

Jim

[Cynaburst]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

"Blocadren, Corgard, Lopressor, Sectral, Tenormin, and Visken are all brand names for plain old metoprolol."

Just a point of clarification.....Corgard is the brand name for nadolol, a different beta blocker, and Tenormin is the brand name for atenolol, yet another one.

I don't know about the others, but they are all different drugs, all beta blockers, and in the same class, but with different chemical makeups.

[Sarah]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Blocadren, Corgard, Lopressor, Sectral, Tenormin, and Visken are all brand names for plain old metoprolol.

This is not true. The list of drugs named are all in the FAMILY of drugs called beta-blockers, however, they are all different drugs with their own generic name. They are chemical variations of each other. Think of them as siblings.

Some are more specific to the heart/brain system and some act on the whole body and other small variations of how they work -but in essense they all do the same thing: prevent adrenelin from increasing your heart rate and prevent your heart from beating too hard. THey also lower your blood pressure.

Please see: http://www.tmc.edu/thi/betameds.html for a discussion of betablockers and a list of brand names. Go here: http://www.4hcm.org/phpBB2/viewtopic...059&highlight= for a list of links that are "tried and true."

Brand/Generic break-out: Blocadren= timolol; Sectral=acebutolol; Corgard=nadolol; Tenormin=atenolol; Visken =pindolol.

However, Lopresssor IS metroprolol, too, as is Toprol and Toprol XL. (XL being a long-acting formula). It is unusual to have several brand names in the same country for the same drug, but there it is.

Please note that brand names for generics will be different in other countries --these are all US brand names we are talking about.

Clear as mud? Good!



S

[mtlieb]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

My apologies,

I got that list from drugstore.com under the heading of metoprolol. As it turns out, they had listed common brand names for all beta blockers and not just metoprolol. I edited my post to take care of the inaccurate data, and thanks for the clarification! I believe my post is accurate

Jim

[Sarah]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Dear Jim,

We were writing at the same time. I'm going to leave my post as-is, just in case others find that their pharmacy is innacurate as well. It is also very confusing unless you are used to it.

take care,

S

[Julie E]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Thanks Pat!

I guess I was confused because when Toprol XL was no longer effective, you would have thought I would have been put on something different, not the generic of the same drug?? Although the pharmacy I go to told me Toprol XL does not have a generic but that the two drugs do have the same active ingredient.
Anyway, he does not want to change anything until I am done with my 30 day event moniter so for now I wait. Actually the last three days have been really good as far as palpitations, I just get that mid morning DRAG.....so we shall see.

Thanks for the info.

Julie

[Julie E]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Jim,

Your thoughts are my thoughtss. When they switched me 6 weeks ago the nurse told me my Ep sometimes sees that patients do better with the metoprolol. At the time I thought they were totatlly different, but have since learned otherwise. I actually was cutting my Toprol XL in half beacuse awhile back I was getting fast heart rates and got shocked a few times(have an ICD) so they were trying to even the dosage out more. It has only been since April I started getting lots and lots of palpitations and they switched me from the Toprol XL. Anyway, I'll give it a try and see how it goes.

Thanks for the help.
Julie
PS. I work for a doc who specializes in pain management and I see first hand what the drug reps do. We have more pens etc. then we know what to do with and we eat quite well there if you know what I mean.

[kthanki]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

You probably already know this, but just want to make sure that cutting Toprol XL does not work. All extended release drugs are designed with a coating for slow release through out the day.
Once you cut, chew or break the tablet, the coating is gone and it is not longer an extended release drug, and the effect may wear off in few hours and the symptoms will be back.

[mtlieb]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Hi,

I'm pretty sure you can cut a Toprol-XL tablet in half without losing any effect. The pills are scored for that purpose, and the documentation states that you can cut the pills in half. You are correct however that the individual halves should not be chewed or broken. The documentation states that as well.

But as far as cutting the pills in half, there's probably more people here doing that than not, since there is so much experimentation going on with different dosages.

Thanks,

Jim

[Clive]

Re: metoprolol

Does anyone know if there are lower dosages than 100 mg available? The lowest dose I can find locally is 100 mg. I only take 25mg and as you can imagine, cutting a tiny pill into four is rather hit-or-miss to say the least.

[bryan]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Clive,
Toprol XL does come in 50mg Tabs.

[mtlieb]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Clive,

Toprol-XL is offered in 25mg, 50mg, 100mg, and 200mg.

Jim

[Clive]

Re: (metoprolol)

I was after ordinary metoprolol . . . forgot the topic . . .

[bryan]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

Clive,
Metoprolol comes in 50mg also.

[Cappy]

Re: Toprol-XL (metoprolol)

I was just moved from 100mg BID to 75mg BID. I think its a real PITA to split the 50's in half, but insurance dictates that I can only have the 50's.