Kerlone

Kerlone is a prescription drug approved for the treatment of high blood pressure. It comes in tablet form and is taken by mouth, typically once a day. As a beta blocker, it works to lower blood pressure by blocking beta-1 receptors in the body. Some of the most common side effects that have been reported with this medication include fatigue, nausea, and slow heart rate.

Kerlone Drug Information

What Is Kerlone?

Kerlone^® (betaxolol hydrochloride) is a prescription medication licensed to treat high blood pressure. It is approved to be used alone or in combination with other high blood pressure medications. It is particularly useful in combination with a certain group of blood pressure medications known as thiazide diuretics.

(Click Kerlone Uses for more information on what the medication is used for, including possible off-label uses.)

Who Makes This Medication?

Brand-name Kerlone is made by sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC.

How Does It Work?

Kerlone is a beta-adrenergic blocking agent, more often known as a

beta blocker. As you might guess, these medications work by blocking beta receptors in the body. Beta receptors are located in a number of places within the body, including the heart and blood vessels. Stress hormones (such as adrenaline) bind to these receptors and cause certain reactions in the body, such as:

Increased heart rate
Increased force with which the heart pumps blood
Higher blood pressure (both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure)
Constricted blood vessels.

By blocking beta receptors, Kerlone causes the reverse effect of stress hormones and reduces blood pressure. It is important to note that Kerlone is more likely to block beta-1 receptors (such as those in the heart and blood vessels), opposed to beta-2 receptors (such as those found in the lungs), which can theoretically make the medication safer than other beta blockers for people with breathing problems such as asthma.

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